21.   Both companies are gaining from cutting costs in recent years and on strong demand from recovering economies, primarily in Europe.

22.   But by becoming one of the biggest mall developers, the combined company will gain a leverage in negotiating leases with tenants, analysts said.

23.   But companies are also gaining flexibility by investing heavily in advanced, highly productive equipment that expands capacity and thereby tends to relieve inflation pressure.

24.   But some small companies are gaining ground on the lumbering bears that have dominated instant messaging for years.

25.   But the companies still must gain the approval of federal regulators.

26.   But telecommunications companies gained on merger news, transportation shares did well and drug stocks advanced.

27.   But the company is fast gaining momentum against its Hopkinton, Mass. rival, according to some Wall Street analysts.

28.   But the foreign companies are steadily gaining on EMS, whose equipment, technology and service lag far behind, Li said.

29.   Cable companies gained on expectations demand will grow for optical fiber used in lines that link telephones and computers.

30.   Cable companies gained on optimism about increased demand for optical fiber for use in telephone, multimedia, e-mail, and internet lines.