1.   An absence of selling pressure and relatively small orders from foreign institutions lifted the benchmark index, he said.

2.   Analysts said earnings growth for most large companies linked to the benchmark index will be dwarfed by profits of smaller companies.

3.   And the benchmark stock index reached a six-week high.

4.   As futures rose, arbitrageurs sold futures to buy the underlying basket of stocks, thereby pulling up the benchmark index.

5.   As the benchmark index drops, those latent profits vanish, putting banks -- already stretched with trillions of yen in bad loans -- further at risk.

6.   As the benchmark index drops, those unrealized profits vanish, putting banks -- already stretched with bad loans -- further at risk.

7.   As the currencies and benchmark stock indexes in several Asian countries plunged in recent months, investors flocked to U.S. Treasury securities as a refuge.

8.   As futures rose, traders sold futures to buy the underlying basket of stocks, thereby pulling up the benchmark index.

9.   Australian stocks surged as banks led the benchmark stock index to its biggest one day gain this year.

10.   Australian stocks surged as banks led the benchmark stock index to its biggest one-day gain this year.