U.S. federal securities classaction suits rose 29 percent in 2008 over the previous year, fueledby the global financial crisis, according to a report byPriceWaterhouseCoopers. The “2008 Securities Litigation Study”found federal class action security lawsuits increased from 163case filings in 2007 to 210 last year. Most filings during 2008were related to the financial crisis, with investment banks mostoften named as the defendants. Among the report's findings: oExcluding the $3.2 billion Tyco settlement in 2007, totalsettlement value increased about 9 percent in 2008, from $3.3billion to $3.6 billion in 2008. o 2008 was the second consecutiveyear that federal cases have increased, after dropping to 109 in2006. o Most of the 2008 suits were non-accounting related cases,which in the past have settled for less than accounting-relatedsuits. Sixty percent of the lawsuits were non-accounting cases, thefirst time these cases outweighed accounting cases since 1996. oMost of the suits were filed against Fortune 500 financial servicescompanies, a possible indicator that the ultimate settlements willbe higher. o CEOs are named as defendants most frequently, with 83listed in 2008. CFOs were the second most named defendants lastyear, followed by president and chairman. A copy of the report isavailable at www.10b5.com.