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The U.S. Supreme Court agreed to decide whether the nation’s credit unions can expand their membership to bring in more customers. A ruling is not expected until early next year. . . . A federal judge in New Orleans has refused to throw out a federal lawsuit accusing the nation’s largest tobacco companies of manipulating nicotine levels in cigarettes to keep smokers hooked. The tobacco companies said they would look at ways to get a rehearing of the suit, known as the Castano case. . . . Chubb Corp. said it will sell its Chubb Life Insurance Co. of America to Jefferson-Pilot Corp. for $875 million in cash. . . . The assets of Centennial Technologies Inc.’s former chief executive, Emanuel Pinez, were frozen indefinitely by U.S. District Judge Patti Saris in Boston, who upheld a request by the SEC.