11.   A number of non-OPEC countries that attended the meeting as observers, including representatives of Mexico, Russia, Norway and Oman, have made some production cuts.

12.   A production cut would crush profits at Korea chip manufacturers.

13.   After having fallen through most of the year, lumber prices in recent weeks have rebounded on speculation the production cuts will limit supply.

14.   But last year they began living up to their production cuts, and the futures traders started driving the price up.

15.   But oil ministers from Saudia Arabia, Venezuela and Mexico, who met Wednesday, asked only for a commitment to the planned production cuts through March.

16.   But they would not commit themselves to a production cut.

17.   By itself the reserve could not do much to stem price increases resulting from either genuine shortages or arbitrary production cuts by the oil cartel OPEC.

18.   Crude oil prices have risen in anticipation of actual production cuts.

19.   Earlier on Tuesday in Moscow, the Russian government, which made no official statement on the matter, nonetheless appeared to be shifting its stance concerning production cuts.

20.   Existing stockpiles will make up for production cuts caused by the hurricane.