11.   Just as computers have compelled big companies to shed staff, so the era of big government is over.

12.   Joblessness has increased in Germany as companies have reorganized to trim costs, closing units and shedding staff by the thousands.

13.   Razor-thin margins, slimmer profits and growing competition for the same amount of business is leading investment firms and trading houses to shed staff in metals departments.

14.   Securities firms across the region have shed staff as stock trading slows and currencies weaken.

15.   With most securities houses badly hit by the economic downturn and with most shedding staff to cut losses, Indosuez officials were reluctant to talk of resource cuts.

16.   But not all companies have been shedding staff, helping to keep the jobless rate relatively low.