1.   Bear Stearns Cos. said earnings in its fiscal second quarter more than tripled as trading, investment banking and commission revenue soared.

2.   Commission revenue also likely increased at many firms.

3.   Commission revenue plunged as customers abandoned the firm after the disclosure that it had paid off the corporate racketeers known as sokaiya.

4.   Commission revenue also grew.

5.   Commission revenue tends to be volatile.

6.   Firms that do most of their business with individual investors had higher profits, as stock trading boosted commission revenue.

7.   Historically, agencies have offered free booking services to clients and lived off the commission revenue.

8.   If institutional investors are responsible for the burst in trading, the commission revenue may bypass small brokers.

9.   Much of the increase comes from commission revenue earned by its wholly owned Waterhouse Investor Services Inc., a U.S. discount broker.

10.   Most survivors charge service fees to recoup the lost commission revenue, and many specialize in certain types of travel.