31.   A report showing a worse-than-expected unemployment rate for August in Germany nudged the dollar higher at late afternoon.

32.   A wave of last-minute futures buying triggered purchases in the cash market and pushed the index higher at the close, traders said.

33.   And though there are far fewer nominal Protestants than Catholics, attendance may be higher at Protestant churches.

34.   Australian shares, however, were moderately higher at midday and Thai shares also edged higher in early trading.

35.   Beef futures were mostly higher at the open today on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange, while pork futures were mixed.

36.   Bullish inventory data helped send crude oil and petroleum products futures sharply higher at the New York Mercantile Exchange on Wednesday.

37.   Buyers once again have come to the rescue, sending the major stock averages higher at the close for the third straight session.

38.   Corn was slightly higher at the open amid speculation surrounding the potential impact of the relatively poor weather and news that export sales were lower than expected.

39.   European stocks were higher at midday.

40.   GNP in real terms was seven percent higher at the end of March than its level a year before, the Central Statistics Bureau said in a statement Wednesday.