This is the VOA Special English Economics Report.

Mark Hurd got credit for building Hewlett-Packard into the world's largest technology company. H-P is the top seller of personal computers and printers. It had sales last year of almost one hundred fifteen billion dollars.

Mr. Hurd became chief executive officer five years ago after H-P ousted Carly Fiorina. Later he also became chairman. Under his leadership H-P stock doubled in price.

So the news out of Palo Alto, California, last Friday came to many as a shock. Mark Hurd was out.