11.   Among the leading companies, physicians say, Aetna is the most aggressive in negotiating contracts.

12.   Analysts said antitrust regulators would probably require Bayer to divest some assets, particularly in the area of insecticides, where Aventis and Bayer are the two leading companies.

13.   And Ariba is a leading company in business-to-business.

14.   Another leading company, Cybersettle, works a bit differently.

15.   AOL and Netscape, by most reckonings, are the two leading Internet companies.

16.   Aside from serving as major stock holders, the leading Mitsubishi companies carry a strong voice in the decision making of other companies in the group.

17.   Because of the high costs of building those advanced systems, even leading companies will someday have to form alliances to make them a reality, Roberts says.

18.   Because leading companies in the industry have increased productivity so fast, they have had little choice but to cut their labor forces.

19.   Besides the sheer numbers, the positive earnings reports were spread among leading companies in many different fields.

20.   Bogota stocks rose for a second day, buoyed by optimism for strong profits at leading companies like Bavaria SA and Banco de Bogota.