Charter trims loss for quarter

Charter Communications Inc., the cable television company controlled by billionaire investor Paul Allen, reported a narrower first-quarter loss as it sold more packages of TV, telephone and Internet services.

The net loss was $381 million, or $1.04 a share, down from $459 million, or $1.45, a year earlier. St. Louis-based Charter’s sales rose 8% to $1.43 billion.

Shares of Charter jumped 12 cents to $3.39.