31.   Its shares have been sliding since rumors surfaced last week that the company was considering a bid for Mississippi-based WorldCom.

32.   Lerner was the unanimous recommendation of the finance committee, which considered the bids of three groups.

33.   Mayflower Corp. Plc, a U.K. company that designs and manufactures car bodies, said Wednesday it is considering a bid for Vickers.

34.   Mayflower Corp. Plc, a U.K. company that designs and manufactures car bodies, said this week it is considering a bid for Vickers.

35.   Meehan, who considered a bid this year but apparently decided that the time was not right, probably will again consider running in four years.

36.   Miller executives said they too are considering a bid.

37.   Murdoch himself was last week reported by The Guardian newspaper in Britain to be considering a bid for Turner.

38.   Now the bank says it is considering bids for more stakes in RAO Rosneft, the ninth-largest oil producer, and Svyazinvest.

39.   Polygram said earlier this year it would consider a bid for the studio.

40.   Possible rival suitors include General Dynamics and Lockheed Martin, both of which are monitoring the situation and considering bids themselves, according to executives close to those companies.