1.   Credit rating agencies also lowered their ratings on a number of companies.

2.   Credit agencies have lowered their ratings on some company bonds until the debt is reduced.

3.   It was also the fourth straight month the agency lowered its assessment of the economy.

4.   On Monday, the two big credit agencies lowered their ratings on the debt of Lucent to a notch of junk status.

5.   Signs U.S. credit rating agencies may lower their ratings on Japanese banks also hurt the stocks.

6.   The bond rating agencies are lowering ratings of big companies, having discovered that they cannot sell assets for the expected prices.

7.   The credit rating agency lowered its corporate credit and senior debt ratings as well as its commercial paper rating on Palo Alto, Calif.-based Hewlett-Packard.

8.   The ratings agency lowered other credit ratings on Coca Cola as well.

9.   They bridle at how quickly credit rating agencies have lowered the debt ratings of companies, leaving many hovering at levels that are barely investment grade.

10.   The agency already has lowered rates four times this year, and stocks spent most of next week in a narrow trading range in anticipation of its next move.