Investors pay indirectly, though, because the companies in which they invest must pay for the ratings.

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Finally, the cost of the options does not appear on the company's income statement--though it winds up costing the shareholders indirectly, as their percentage ownership in the company becomes diluted by the shares bought by company executives.

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However, the constraints of some African societies can't and will never stop me from doing what I believe is right though, whether we like it or not we are directly or indirectly accountable to society.

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Among families younger than 35, just 39.8% owned equities even indirectly in 2010, down from 49.1% in 2001, even though 42.1% of all young families owned retirement accounts in 2010.

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