1.   But manufactured output, excluding energy production, fell owing to strikes.

2.   But the price of the stock fell owing to a provision for losses on KPNQwest.

3.   Sales of medicines which were freely available had also fallen owing to an increase in competition.

4.   Scarcely a day goes by without a warning from a company to its shareholders that profits this year will fall owing to the strength of sterling.

5.   The Financial Times reported Saturday that the Dutch bank would close most of its US equity operations as profits from equity trading have fallen owing to the global downturn.