21.   Yalouz, who releases his forecasts only to clients, is a former U.S. Agriculture Department attache to Brazil whose predictions are watched closely because of their accuracy.

22.   INSEE said it had decided to release the forecast in the afternoon because a newspaper had broken an embargo on it.

23.   Kobe Steel Ltd., which was heavily damaged in the quake with production suspended at two works, plans to release its forecasts later this month.

24.   No consolidated profit forecast was released.

25.   No consolidated forecast was released.

26.   Other major Japanese steel companies also released their forecasts Wednesday, with downward revisions the order of the day.

27.   The institute is due officially to release its forecast on Wednesday.