1. As the year moved on, profit prospects brightened. 2. But Fed Chairman Alan Greenspan may offer som einsights on the economic outlook generally, and how it relates to corporate profits prospects. 3. French stocks closed little changed, as growing concern that some shares have become too expensive offset bright profit prospects for cyclical companies. 4. Investors also fretted that weak demand in Asia would undermine profit prospects of computer-related companies. 5. Japanese stocks traded mixed as a rising yen hurt profit prospects at some exporters while boosting optimism that costs may fall for companies that rely on imports. 6. ITALIAN stocks rose for the second day on expectations the Bank of Italy will soon cut interest rates, lifting corporate profit prospects. 7. Leading department stores last week announced promising profit prospects for this business year after mixed fortunes in the year just ended. 8. Nissan Motor Co. also dropped to an almost one-year low as investors soured on profit prospects. 9. Seagate pulled out of an investors conference, fueling uncertainty about its profit prospects. 10. Shares have benefited from that outlook, since cheaper credit boosts corporate profit prospects by reducing borrowing costs and encouraging consumer spending. |