91.   Stock prices were lower on profit taking, discouraged by a decline on Wall Street Thursday, which marked a fourth straight day of falls, dealers said.

92.   Stocks, meanwhile, closed lower because of the weaker peso and fears that loan defaults could reverberate across the banking sector, dealers said.

93.   Since regional economic fundamentals are still weak, investors remain reluctant to hold on to local stocks for the long term, dealers said.

94.   Singapore shares closed mixed, with banking stocks among the biggest gainers on institutional buying, dealers said.

95.   Singapore shares soared on expectations of interest rate cuts in the next few days, dealers said.

96.   Singapore shares also closed higher, buoyed by indications that any U.S. rate hike is likely to be small, dealers said.

97.   Thai stock prices also ended higher on a return of speculative buying after a sharp correction the previous day ended a three-week rally, dealers said.

98.   That generated interest in the dollar, dealers said.

99.   Stock prices started higher on buying by domestic institutional investors as heavy buying by newly-formed investment trusts are supporting the market, dealers said.

100.   South Korean shares also plunged, hurt by declines on Wall Street and rising global oil prices, dealers said.