IBM Benefits

IBM Corp. established a $50-million fund to aid employees with child and elder care in an attempt to retain workers amid a technology labor shortage. Some of the money will finance day care near or on IBM sites in Toronto; Mexico City; Dublin, Ireland; and Yorktown Heights, N.Y. IBM’s efforts come as computer and Web companies struggle with employee shortages. Businesses will fill only half of this year’s 1.6 million openings for computer programmers, Web site designers and technical workers, according to the Information Technology Assn. of America, an Arlington, Va.-based computer industry lobbying group. IBM, based in Armonk, N.Y., rose $2.63 to close at $104.63 on the New York Stock Exchange. Its shares have fallen about 4% this year.