31.   A slump in international oil prices has dampened hopes for quick economy recovery, according to Datanalisis director Luis Vicente Leon.

32.   Although Natcon had made efforts to develop its presence here, the current economic climate had dampened its hope of growth, it added.

33.   Bonds weakened further on the Michigan news, because it further dampened hopes the Fed would ease at its policy meeting next month.

34.   But it put innocent lives at risk, and dampened hopes for a long-term resolution to the Chechnya matter.

35.   But increased fighting in Bosnia dampened hopes for a surge in last-minute bookings for August.

36.   Cerpa dampened those hopes, saying in a radio interview Saturday that a solution to the hostage crisis was still far off.

37.   Cipriani spoke after President Alberto Fujimori and leftist rebels dampened hopes over the weekend that they were close to resolving the standoff.

38.   Dampening hopes for movement in the stalled Mideast peace process, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday said no accord was imminent on a West Bank troop pullback.

39.   FIFA General Secretary Sepp Blatter also dampened South Korean hopes of a spectacular political gesture by saying North Korea would not be allowed to stage any of the tournament.

40.   Feuding between several of the member nations also has dampened hopes that the summit will result in any real breakthroughs.