If so, it will mean more problems for Detroit auto companies, all trying to rebound from billion-dollar losses in 2006.

And with so much investment money pouring into energy, it is likely that others profited from the billion-dollar losses.

There has been a remarkable increase in billion-dollar catastrophic losses.

It has sustained billion-dollar annual losses in recent years.

Mr. Gerstner was hired two years ago to turn I.B.M. around after years of billion-dollar losses.

Digital, in the throes of major staff reductions caused by billion-dollar losses, will be hard-pressed to keep up' with it.

Despite a reported billion-dollar loss last summer, he gave millions to Lincoln Center, which is renaming its plaza for his wife, Josie.

The investment required was small by Detroit standards, $250 million for engineering and new tooling, but large for a company that was racking up billion-dollar losses.

United's effort failed when it reported an almost billion-dollar quarterly loss.

It will also likely lead to a temporary halt in domestic online betting, which will result in billion-dollar losses for Internet gambling sites.