31.   Norwest Corp., another purported buyer, may also refrain from making a competing bid.

32.   Quigley said no one contacted him last week about a competing bid.

33.   Rival nickel producer Inco Ltd. is expected to make a competing bid soon.

34.   Still, investors are expected to focus more on the competing bids for MCI from British Tele-communications Plc, GTE Corp. and WorldCom Inc., analysts said.

35.   Still, it was not immediately clear if the withdrawal of Morgan Stanley would lead to a drop in the price of competing bids.

36.   The agreement, which must be ratified by shareholders, also permits National Gypsum to solicit competing bids through the end of June.

37.   The announcement follows a week of press speculation that Gehe may weigh in with a competing bid for the British pharmacy and drug wholesaler.

38.   The Boeing victory is all the more impressive because the company also beat competing bids from the leading European aircraft manufacturers, including Airbus, British Aerospace and Fokker.

39.   The competing bid was also eventually rejected.

40.   The competing bid reflects growing demand for reinsurance --the way insurers protect themselves from exposure to risk from policy claims.