21.  BankAmerica Corp. was the second-place bidder, according to people familiar with the transaction.

22.  Banc One, people familiar with the situation said, would probably have been willing to pay slightly more than First Bank is offering.

23.  Bear Stearns notified investigators about the fire as soon as it learned that some of its records were affected, people familiar with the case said.

24.  Bankers and analysts considered America Online to be the most obvious buyer and by April people familiar with negotiations said transaction looked imminent.

25.  Bear Stearns Cos. and other securities firms underwrote most of these sales, the people familiar with the sales said.

26.  Bernard Brennan, the chief executive of Montgomery Ward, the troubled department-store chain, will soon be replaced, people familiar with the situation said Wednesday.

27.  Bids are due this week, people familiar with the talks said.

28.  Boeing officials declined to comment on the report, which cited unnamed people familiar with a review underway at the Seattle-based planemaker.

29.  Both companies remained interested in the merger, according to people familiar with the talks.

30.  Both companies declined to name the broker involved in their losses, though people familiar with the situation say it was Goldinger.