1.   Fierce price deflation, increased competition and rising costs have combined to depress profits.

2.   Analysts and investors said Ahmanson made the right decision in withdrawing, because raising its offer would have cost the company too much money and depress its profits.

3.   Analysts and investors said raising its offer would have cost Ahmanson too much money and depress its profits.

4.   Analysts expect the bank to take a series of charges covering losses by the old BankAmerica, sharply depressing profits.

5.   A company that repriced options would have to record a large expense, depressing reported profits.

6.   A stronger dollar can depress profits at multinational companies, because it makes revenues garnered outside the U.S. worth less in dollar terms.

7.   Both efforts, they said, tended to depress profits.

8.   Chilean stocks fell for a third day on concern that power rationing will depress profits at electric utilities.

9.   Chilean stocks fell on concern that restrictions to be imposed this week on electricity consumption will depress profits at leading utilities.

10.   Chilean stocks fell amid concern economic troubles in Argentina will depress the profits of Chilean companies operating there.