1.   Asset management has grown increasingly important for securities firms as greater competition has shrunk margins on their trading and underwriting businesses.

2.   But all it has done is shrink the margin for error among the remaining pitchers.

3.   During the price war with Burns Philp, both companies offered discounts that shrunk margins.

4.   If interest rates continue to rise, banks will be under pressure to raise interest rates paid on deposit accounts, and that would shrink interest rate margins.

5.   Investors said the software writers shift to network software could shrink margins.

6.   Most say higher interest rates could squelch the economic recovery by raising borrowing costs for companies, shrinking margins at struggling banks and making Thai exports more expensive overseas.

7.   Part of that volume growth was countered by shrinking interest margins at its banking operations outside the Netherlands.

8.   The decline was mainly due to shrinking interest margins caused by increased competition.

9.   The new Medicare rules have shrunk these margins, forcing mergers, staff cutbacks and the decisions by some universities to sell their money-losing hospitals.

10.   This would shrink gross margins, which is the revenue left after subtracting the cost of sales.