31.   A member of the central council of the Bundesbank, Olaf Sievert, had said that the dollar might rise further against the mark, dealers said.

32.   A majority of analysts expect the Bundesbank central council to reduce the repo rate, though a number of them do not anticipate this.

33.   A regular meeting of the central council of the bank decided, as had been expected, that the key rates would be maintained.

34.   A regular meeting of the central council of the Bundesbank on Thursday was not expected to reduce key interest rates.

35.   All eyes were turned to Germany where the central council of the Bundesbank was due to meet later on Thursday.

36.   All eyes on the market were turned towards Germany, where the central council of the Bundesbank was due to meet on Thursday.

37.   Analysts said that in any case, they were expecting the Bundesbank to keep its key rates steady at a Thursday meeting of its policy-making central council.

38.   An unexpected sudden improvement in the German business climate has damped down hopes of an interest rate cut when the Bundesbank central council meets Thursday.

39.   Analysts said Paris stock prices dropped sharply on the announcement that the Bundesbank would not hold a press conference after the Thursday meeting of its policy-making central council.

40.   As the majority of analysts had expected, the German Bundesbank held key rates steady at a regular meeting on Thursday of its policy-making central council.