1.   Continuing its miraculous journey, the book became the subject of a bidding war among three major New York publishers.

2.   The spice war between Burns Philp and McCormick created a costly bidding war for shelf space that hurt both companies.

3.   Also a potential target, analysts said, is H.F. Ahmanson, the giant Southern California thrift which lost the bidding war for Great Western.

4.   Although everyone was on the lookout for the hot, undiscovered film that would engender a bidding war, it never appeared.

5.   Although two other well-known Irish businessmen, Dermot Desmond and Paul Coulter, previously indicated an interest in Eircom, analysts dismissed early reports of a bidding war.

6.   An extended bidding war with a company the size of Hercules could also drain financial resources when other U.K. chemical makers are available, they said.

7.   Among the assets that could change hands as a way to avert a bidding war are AMB, analysts say.

8.   Analysts said they expect the bidding war to continue.

9.   Analysts said the announcement is likely to trigger a bidding war among U.S. and European banks and investment banks looking to purchase fund companies.

10.   Analysts said the proposal is an attempt to force a bidding war for Bre-X.