Form 4 Filed by J P Morgan Chase & Co on April 17, 2008

This form 4 (insider trading filing) was submitted to the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) by insider J P Morgan Chase & Co on April 17, 2008. The CIK number of this insider is 19617. At the time of this reporting, J P Morgan Chase & Co is the 10% Owner of Bear Stearns Companies Inc . See all insider stock transactions reported by J P Morgan Chase & Co and all stock buys, sales, and option exercises made by insiders at Bear Stearns Companies Inc . The stock ticker symbol of Bear Stearns Companies Inc is BSC.

FORM 4		UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Washington, D.C. 20549 STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Section 17(a) of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940	OMB APPROVAL OMB Number: 3235-0287 Expires: February 28, 2011 Estimated average burden hours per response 0.5
	Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instruction 1(b).

1. Name and Address of Reporting Person* J P MORGAN CHASE & CO (Last) (First) (Middle) 270 PARK AVENUE (Street) NEW YORK NY 10017 (City) (State) (Zip)	2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol BEAR STEARNS COMPANIES INC [ BSC ]	5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer (Check all applicable) Director X 10% Owner Officer (give title below) Other (specify below)
	3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year) 04/15/2008
	4. If Amendment, Date of Original Filed (Month/Day/Year)	6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing (Check Applicable Line) X Form filed by One Reporting Person Form filed by More than One Reporting Person

Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
1. Title of Security (Instr. 3)	2. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year)	2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year)	3. Transaction Code (Instr. 8)		4. Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed Of (D) (Instr. 3, 4 and 5)			5. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 3 and 4)	6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4)	7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4)
			Code	V	Amount	(A) or (D)	Price
Common Stock	04/15/2008		P		200,000	A	$10.24	118,998,114 ( 1 )	D
Common Stock	04/15/2008		X		2,000	A	$70	119,000,114 ( 1 )	D

Table II - Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned (e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)
1. Title of Derivative Security (Instr. 3)	2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security	3. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year)	3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year)	4. Transaction Code (Instr. 8)		5. Number of Derivative Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) (Instr. 3, 4 and 5)		6. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date (Month/Day/Year)		7. Title and Amount of Securities Underlying Derivative Security (Instr. 3 and 4)		8. Price of Derivative Security (Instr. 5)	9. Number of derivative Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 4)	10. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4)	11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4)
				Code	V	(A)	(D)	Date Exercisable	Expiration Date	Title	Amount or Number of Shares
Options to Sell Common Stock (Short Position)	$70	04/15/2008		X			2,000	04/07/2008	01/16/2009	Common Stock	2,000	$70	23,000	I	See Footnote ( 2 )

Explanation of Responses:

1. Includes the indirect beneficial ownership of 300 shares owned by J.P. Morgan Ventures Corporation, 417,768 shares owned by J.P. Morgan Whitefriars Inc. and 1,652 shares owned by J.P. Morgan Securities Inc., all wholly owned subsidiaries of the Reporting Person.

2. Beneficial ownership of this position is held by J.P. Morgan Whitefriars, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Reporting Person.

	/s/ Anthony J. Horan	04/17/2008
	** Signature of Reporting Person	Date
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