<B>Smurfit Stone Forecasts Sharp Profit Drop</B>

Smurfit-Stone Container Corp., the nation's biggest box maker, expects first-quarter earnings to be 'significantly' below analysts' estimates because of lower-than-expected demand for corrugated packaging caused by the economic slowdown.

The company also noted that high energy costs and significant downtime across its mills also would cause the shortfall. The company expects downtime to top 200,000 tons for the fourth quarter.

“On the positive side, product pricing remains stable even in the face of poor demand, following the $15 per ton decline in containerboard in January,'” Curran added. 'We hope that government fiscal stimulus will lead to a weakening dollar and a pick-up in the economy, which would increase demand in the second half

According to one paper industry analyst, the drop in prices for the raw materials that go into packaging -- containerboard fell about $20, or 5 percent, a ton in January from the month before.