EXXON . . . PAYING FOR ITS SPILL

Exxon agreed to pay $20 million to 3,500 Alaska Natives who claimed losses as a result of the 1989 oil spill in Prince William Sound. This is the first time individuals have been awarded money in connection with the spill, but it may be just the tip of the liability iceberg for the multibillion-dollar corporation. Within days, a lawsuit filed by fishermen claiming $895 million from the company will be decided. What to watch for: a massive $15 billion claim for punitive damages against Exxon, likely to be brought by nearly everyone who claims to have been affected by the spill. The company seems to be weathering the action. Its stock actually rose today, slightly.