TECHNOLOGY & TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Motorola Inc. Profit Near Top of Wall Street Expectations: The Schaumburg, Ill.-based company said global growth in wireless communications, semiconductors and advanced electronic products boosted its third-quarter profit by 50% to $380 million. Earnings amounted to 65 cents a share, compared to $254 million, or 44 cents a share, a year earlier, Motorola said. The number of cellular subscribers in the third quarter rose by about 50% from the end of 1993 to nearly 50 million, it said. Growth in its cellular division helped fuel a 63% jump in the systems sector, the company said.