Despite earlier accusations that he had arranged unjustified payments, the suit stunned investors who have followed the company.

The latest shortfall, 10 percent shy of Wall Street forecasts, stunned investors and even seemed to take management off guard.

EVER since WorldCom toppled into bankruptcy last summer, the company has been teaching stunned investors one lesson after another.

Gateway, which Wall Street had hoped was bucking the tide of bad news, stunned investors last week by saying that its business was far weaker than expected.

And stunned investors were left asking: Is indexing really the way to go?

Stocks again fell sharply yesterday as stunned investors responded to a report that consumer confidence in October fell to its lowest level in seven years.

Mr. Beck said that stunned investors were waiting to see what the issuers would do.

The volatility, which was greater than at any time since the 1930's, stunned and scared investors around the world.

Those staggering sums stunned investors, who had been assured by Boeing for months that its production problems were under control.

Beijing's top communications official stunned investors last September when he unexpectedly reaffirmed a longstanding ban on foreign investment in Internet service providers.