October 18, 1996

New York Times/CBS News Poll shows if any class of Americans has reason to be content on eve of Presidential election, it is probably nation's top executives; nearly 9 of 10 say condition of the economy 'is good,' up from nearly half who said so four years ago; solid majority believes that inflation has been tamed, and many of the companies that the executives run have bullish plans to invest and hire new employees in the coming year; nearly half of the executives believe next recession will not be before 1999, and another 27 percent do not see downturn coming until 1998; at time when polls show Pres Clinton ahead by double digits, 65 percent of executives surveyed say they preferred Bob Dole; twenty-five percent say they will vote for Clinton--just about same level of support he got in 1992; 26 percent of top managers rank cutting Federal budget deficit as nation's chief economic problem, versus 9 percent who say high taxes tops the list; 41 percent of executives say Dole's centerpiece plan to cut Federal income taxes by 15 percent is wrong for country; fifty-two percent favor the plan, but figure falls to 19 percent if tax cut would increase deficit; 71 percent of executives still say Dole would do better job reducing deficit, versus 18 percent for Clinton; 63 percent say Dole's economic program would result in more growth, versus 26 percent who favor Clinton's plan; executives appear to see no reason to vote for Clinton, despite economy's strength; only 39 percent of executives approve the way Clinton has handled his job as President, while 54 percent disapprove; among general public, 58 percent approve and 32 percent disapprove; tables; charts; graphs; photos (L)

Ben Brantley reviews Ronald Harwood play Taking Sides, at Brooks Atkinson Theater; photos (M)

AT&T Corp meets Wall Street's recently diminished earnings expectations, reporting profit from continuing operations in third quarter of $1.36 billion; earnings declined 11 percent, compared with corresponding period last year, when AT&T earned $1.53 billion; overall revenue from continuing operations increased 2.4 percent, to $13.2 billion, compared with $12.9 billion in period a year earlier; table (L)

Blue Chips Set Records, But Nasdaq Retreats 9.03 Blue-chip stocks set their third record of the week. The Dow Jones industrial average rose 38.39 points, to 6,059.20, and the S.& P. 500 stock index rose 2.58 points, to 706.99, as investors focused on consumer-product companies like Merck, P.& G. and Philip Morris. In contrast, the Nasdaq composite retreated 9.03 points to 1,241.96, as traders took profits in computer and technology stocks. $(Page D8.$) Buyers bid up Treasury prices, as a host of economic data showed growth slowing with little chance that inflation will pick up. The 30-year bond yield slipped to 6.80 percent. $(D18.$) Silicon Graphics Reports Loss Silicon Graphics reported a loss for its first quarter, surprising analysts who had expected a profit even after the company warned last month that its results would not meet their estimates. The loss marked the fifth consecutive quarter in which Silicon Graphics has underperformed expectations. $(D4.$) Stronger Profits at Baby Bells Bell Atlantic, BellSouth, Pacific Telesis and SBC Communications each posted stronger profits, as a result of rising demand for local phone services. $(D4.$) Few Cracks in the Glass Ceiling A study of America's 500 largest companies found that 10 percent of their officers were women, but only 2 percent of the companies' top five earners were women. $(D4.$) American Woman for British Post Marjorie M. Scardino, chief executive of the Economist Group, was named chief executive of Pearson, the media conglomerate. Ms. Scardino will be the first American to head Pearson and the only woman heading one of Britain's 100 largest publicly traded companies. $(D7.$) Chrysler Penalized on Lemon Law A California regulator ordered Chrysler to halt new car and truck shipments to the state for 45 days as punishment for selling 116 used vehicles without disclosing that they had been repurchased under the ''lemon law.'' $(D9.$) New York Sues Tobacco Companies New York City sued tobacco companies to recoup the cost of caring for people with illnesses caused by smoking. The suit angered Philip Morris, one of the city's largest and most influential corporations. $(B17.$) McDonnell Profit Tops Forecasts McDonnell Douglas reported a rise in earnings on improved performance by its military and commercial aircraft businesses. $(D2.$) An Unpopular $1.7 Billion Deal Analysts and investors did not think much of the $1.7 billion purchase of Ornda Healthcorp by Tenet Healthcare. Market Place. $(D8.$) A Rare Look Back for MTV MTV is taking a rare look back in a retrospective of 15 years of its advertising and promotional efforts, including promotions for spring break beach parties and a ''Choose or Lose'' voter registration drive.Stuart Elliott: Advertising. $(D7.$) What Dole Leaves Unsaid on Taxes Bob Dole calls for a new tax system. But, knowing that any change would produce losers as well as winners, he has offered no specific alternative to the current system. $(D6.$)

Pres Boris Yeltsin angrily appears on Russian television to dismiss Aleksandr Lebed, aggressive national security chief he embraced as his political heir only four months ago; photos; Yeltsin, appearing frail but determined, signs dismissal with exaggerated flourish, saying he can no longer tolerate Lebed's brazen, insubordinate behavior; risky decision to oust former general, who almost singlehandedly halted ruinous war in Chechnya and is highly popular, follows weeks of Lebed's public clashes with Prime Min Viktor Chernomyrdin and chief of staff Anatoly Chubais; three have been running country while Yeltsin awaits heart bypass surgery; fragile peace in Chechnya could now unravel; Yeltsin accuses Lebed of having 'Napoleon complex,' although he belittles suggestions of coup plot; Lebed vows to begin political activities at once, but only by 'constitutional means,' although he drops dark warning about demoralized army; calls Yeltsin 'aged and sick man' who has failed to pass on his duties to anyone (M)