1.   Officials blamed the fall on a collapse in the stock market, lower industrial production and falling domestic investment.

2.   It blamed the fall on price-cutting among its competitors within a stagnating market.

3.   The company blamed a fall in cement prices for the decline in profits.

4.   Analysts, echoing comments Wednesday by Financial Secretary Donald Tsang, blamed the fall in the Hong Kong market on the weakness of the yen.

5.   Economists blamed the fall in sales tax revenue to weak economic growth.

6.   He blamed the fall on economic recession, shortage of cash in the market, excessive supplies on world markets and the decline of gold prices internationally.

7.   In a Radio Kabul broadcast monitored in the Pakistan capital of Islamabad, Rabbani blamed the fall of Jalalabad on Pakistan.

8.   Some blame the fall on after effects of the World Cup and an inadequate transfer campaign last summer.

9.   That fall was blamed on a sudden demand for hard currency triggered by jitters over the economy.