101.   All the same, company earnings are set to benefit from strong growth in the economy later this year, Tolosa said.

102.   Bringing earnings higher may be the auto insurance business, a traditionally profitable line in which Safeco has built up reserves against losses.

103.   Brown, said that the earnings were in line with expectations but that the write-off was larger than expected.

104.   Bulls on Japan, though, contend that for a variety of reasons Japanese earnings are understated and that cash flows look much better than earnings.

105.   British Petroleum Plc said first-quarter earnings were close to its best ever, as higher oil prices and cuts in operating costs offset weaker chemical profits.

106.   British Petroleum Plc said first-quarter earnings were its second-best ever as higher oil prices and reductions in operating costs offset weaker chemical profits.

107.   But are the earnings there yet?

108.   But disappointing earnings are not some minor statistic.

109.   But earnings are a highly volatile measure of corporate performance.

110.   But excluding a year-earlier charge, earnings were up.