11.   Analysts said the cost increase was higher than expected.

12.   Analysts said the cost increase was much higher than they expected.

13.   As a result, most insurance companies have been able to meet the requirements of parity laws while keeping cost increases at a minimum.

14.   As long as the economy remains solid, those cost increases in the long run get passed on to the consumer.

15.   BA said exchange rate movements accounted for a third of the cost increase.

16.   Bass said margin pressure derived from cost increases, particularly for raw materials like barley.

17.   A lot of companies, under pressure from tough competitors, are finding it difficult to pass cost increases on to their customers for fear of losing market share.

18.   Businesses are simply finding it impossible to pass along cost increases so they have forced themselves to become more efficient.

19.   But that would so increase the cost that the business might no longer be viable for the Chinese manufacturers.

20.   But the cost increases are onerous to small firms.