SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

                          Washington, D. C. 20549

                                  FORM 8-K

                               CURRENT REPORT

                     Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of
                    the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

       Date of report (Date of earliest event reported): July 6, 2005

                                ASHLAND INC.
           (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

                                  Kentucky
               (State or other jurisdiction of incorporation)

                1-32532                                 20-0865835
        (Commission File Number)                     (I.R.S. Employer
                                                    Identification No.)

 50 E. RiverCenter Boulevard, Covington, Kentucky        41012-0391
      (Address of principal executive offices)           (Zip Code)

    P.O. Box 391, Covington, Kentucky                    41012-0391
            (Mailing Address)                            (Zip Code)

     Registrant's telephone number, including area code (859) 815-3333


Check the  appropriate  box below if the Form 8-K  filing  is  intended  to
simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of
the following provisions:

[  ]     Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act
         (17 CFR 2230.425)
[  ]     Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act
         (17 CFR 240.14a-12)
[  ]     Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the
         Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))
[  ]     Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the
         Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))


<PAGE>



Item 5.04.  Temporary Suspension of Trading Under Registrant's Employee
            Benefit Plans

     On July 6,  2005,  Ashland  Inc.  (the  "Company")  sent a  notice  to
participants in the Company's 401(k) plan informing them that in connection
with the transfer of the Company's  38-percent interest in Marathon Ashland
Petroleum LLC ("MAP") and two other  businesses to Marathon Oil Corporation
("Marathon")  through a series of steps involving the reorganization of the
Company, they would be prohibited from making additional investments in the
Company Stock Fund for a period (the  "blackout  period") which is expected
to end during the week that starts July 10, 2005.

     On July 6, 2005,  the Company sent a notice to its executive  officers
and  directors  informing  them that,  pursuant  to  Section  306(a) of the
Sarbanes-Oxley  Act of 2002 and the  Securities  and Exchange  Commission's
rules promulgated thereunder,  they would be prohibited from purchasing and
selling shares of the Company common stock (including derivative securities
pertaining  to such  shares)  on the open  market or  otherwise  during the
blackout  period.  This  notice is attached  hereto as Exhibit  99.1 and is
incorporated herein by reference.

     During the blackout period and for a period of two years thereafter, a
security  holder or other  interested  persons may obtain,  without charge,
information  about the actual  beginning and ending dates of the the 401(k)
blackout  period by  contacting  Ron  Griffith,  c/o  Ashland  Inc.  at the
following  address:  3499 Blazer Parkway,  Lexington,  KY 40509 (Tel: (859)
357-7314; rrgriffith@ashland.com).

Item 9.01.  Financial Statements and Exhibits

(c) Exhibits

      99.1    Important   Notice  to  Directors  and   Executive   Officers
              Regarding  the  Immediate  Prohibition  of  Your  Ability  To
              Purchase  or  Sell   Ashland   Inc.   Securities   Under  the
              Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.





<PAGE>



                                 SIGNATURES


     Pursuant to the  requirements of the Securities  Exchange Act of 1934,
the  registrant  has duly  caused this report to be signed on its behalf by
the undersigned thereunto duly authorized.

                                         ASHLAND INC.
                               -------------------------------------------
                                         (Registrant)



Date:  July 6, 2005                 /s/ David L. Hausrath
                              -----------------------------------
                              Name:     David L. Hausrath
                              Title:    Senior Vice President, General Counsel
                                        and Secretary
[{"type": "8-K", "sequence": "1", "filename": "form8k.txt", "description": "FORM 8-K TENPORARY SUSPENSION OF TRADING", "secsgml_size_bytes": 4533}]
{"company-data": {"conformed-name": "ASHLAND INC.", "cik": "0001305014", "assigned-sic": "5160", "irs-number": "200865835", "state-of-incorporation": "KY", "fiscal-year-end": "0930"}, "filing-values": {"form-type": "8-K", "act": "34", "file-number": "001-32532", "film-number": "05940721"}, "business-address": {"street1": "50 EAST RIVERCENTER BLVD., 16TH FLOOR", "city": "COVINGTON", "state": "KY", "zip": "41012", "phone": "859-815-3483"}, "mail-address": {"street1": "50 EAST RIVERCENTER BLVD., 16TH FLOOR", "city": "COVINGTON", "state": "KY", "zip": "41012"}, "former-company": {"former-conformed-name": "New EXM Inc.", "date-changed": "20041004"}}
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

                          Washington, D. C. 20549

                                  FORM 8-K

                               CURRENT REPORT

                     Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of
                    the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

       Date of report (Date of earliest event reported): July 6, 2005

                                ASHLAND INC.
           (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

                                  Kentucky
               (State or other jurisdiction of incorporation)

                1-32532                                 20-0865835
        (Commission File Number)                     (I.R.S. Employer
                                                    Identification No.)

 50 E. RiverCenter Boulevard, Covington, Kentucky        41012-0391
      (Address of principal executive offices)           (Zip Code)

    P.O. Box 391, Covington, Kentucky                    41012-0391
            (Mailing Address)                            (Zip Code)

     Registrant's telephone number, including area code (859) 815-3333

Check the  appropriate  box below if the Form 8-K  filing  is  intended  to
simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of
the following provisions:

[  ]     Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act
         (17 CFR 2230.425)
[  ]     Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act
         (17 CFR 240.14a-12)
[  ]     Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the
         Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))
[  ]     Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the
         Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))
Item 5.04.  Temporary Suspension of Trading Under Registrant's Employee
            Benefit Plans

     On July 6,  2005,  Ashland  Inc.  (the  "Company")  sent a  notice  to
participants in the Company's 401(k) plan informing them that in connection
with the transfer of the Company's  38-percent interest in Marathon Ashland
Petroleum LLC ("MAP") and two other  businesses to Marathon Oil Corporation
("Marathon")  through a series of steps involving the reorganization of the
Company, they would be prohibited from making additional investments in the
Company Stock Fund for a period (the  "blackout  period") which is expected
to end during the week that starts July 10, 2005.

     On July 6, 2005,  the Company sent a notice to its executive  officers
and  directors  informing  them that,  pursuant  to  Section  306(a) of the
Sarbanes-Oxley  Act of 2002 and the  Securities  and Exchange  Commission's
rules promulgated thereunder,  they would be prohibited from purchasing and
selling shares of the Company common stock (including derivative securities
pertaining  to such  shares)  on the open  market or  otherwise  during the
blackout  period.  This  notice is attached  hereto as Exhibit  99.1 and is
incorporated herein by reference.

     During the blackout period and for a period of two years thereafter, a
security  holder or other  interested  persons may obtain,  without charge,
information  about the actual  beginning and ending dates of the the 401(k)
blackout  period by  contacting  Ron  Griffith,  c/o  Ashland  Inc.  at the
following  address:  3499 Blazer Parkway,  Lexington,  KY 40509 (Tel: (859)
357-7314; rrgriffith@ashland.com).

Item 9.01.  Financial Statements and Exhibits

(c) Exhibits

      99.1    Important   Notice  to  Directors  and   Executive   Officers
              Regarding  the  Immediate  Prohibition  of  Your  Ability  To
              Purchase  or  Sell   Ashland   Inc.   Securities   Under  the
              Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.
SIGNATURES

     Pursuant to the  requirements of the Securities  Exchange Act of 1934,
the  registrant  has duly  caused this report to be signed on its behalf by
the undersigned thereunto duly authorized.

                                         ASHLAND INC.
                               -------------------------------------------
                                         (Registrant)

Date:  July 6, 2005                 /s/ David L. Hausrath
                              -----------------------------------
                              Name:     David L. Hausrath
                              Title:    Senior Vice President, General Counsel
                                        and Secretary