31.   Japanese stocks traded mixed as declines by smaller brokerages such as Kankaku Securities Co. after reports of poor earnings offset gains by exporters on a stable dollar.

32.   Keeping expense growth lower than revenue growth accounts for the higher earnings gain, said NationsBank spokesman Robert Stickler.

33.   Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Co. and two major drug companies, Bristol-Meyers Squibb and American Home Products Corp., reported double-digit earnings gains.

34.   Morgan Stanley has a buy recommendation on the Bank of Ireland, which it said is undervalued despite solid earnings gains.

35.   Most corporations will not be able to point to significant earnings gains, or increased dividends, and certainly not to increased shareholder value.

36.   NORTHROP AND GENERAL DYNAMICS UP Two military contractors, Northrop Grumman and General Dynamics, reported earnings gains that were bigger than expected.

37.   Oil and natural gas prices have since fallen, and analysts say Exxon and other major oil companies may have seen their best earnings gains of the year.

38.   Once the third-quarter earnings reports are history, Kerschner predicts a rebound sparked by per-share earnings percentage gains that will approach double digits.

39.   Oil and natural gas prices have since tumbled, and analysts say Exxon and other major oil companies may have seen their best earnings gains of the year.

40.   Other mining companies also fell as concern that sluggish Asian sales will hurt earnings eclipsed modest gains in nickel, copper and aluminum prices.