1.   Companies have laid off workers, trimmed hours and deeply discounted merchandise to work off excess inventories.

2.   To cope with the fallout, companies have sharply cut back production, trimmed hours and let go of workers.

3.   To cope with the sour economy and fallout from the terror attacks, companies have cut production, trimmed hours and let workers go.

4.   To cope with the sour economy, which fell into recession in March, companies have cut production, trimmed hours and let workers go.

5.   To cope with the ailing economy, which fell into recession in March, companies have cut production, trimmed hours and let workers go.

6.   To cope with the sour economy, manufacturers have sharply cut production, trimmed hours and let workers go.

7.   To cope with the ailing economy, which toppled into recession in March, companies have cut production, trimmed hours and let workers go.

8.   To cope, they have sharply cut production, trimmed hours and laid off workers.