41.   Chemical companies are under pressure to reduce costs and boost market share as customers demand lower prices.

42.   Colombian stocks rose for a second day as investors boosted shares in Banco Ganadero.

43.   Continued strength of the dollar also boosted shares, analysts said.

44.   Computer-related shares were boosted in the past week as brokerages raised their investment opinions on the industry and Intel said its earnings would exceed forecasts this quarter.

45.   Declines in bond yields were also expected to boost shares.

46.   Domestic investment trusts setting up new funds boosted some shares, including blue chips such as Fuji Photo, said Yoshinori Kato, a trader at Cresvale International Ltd.

47.   Dozens of major bank have gone through mergers in the last two years, as rivals buy each other to cut costs and boost market share.

48.   DUTCH stocks surged as comments from Bundesbank President Hans Tietmeyer sparked optimism for an upturn in European economies, boosting shares in stocks closely tied to the economy.

49.   Expectations of an interest rate cut helped boost shares of Chinese companies listed in Hong Kong.

50.   Falling bond yields may help boost shares as they increase the likelihood of expanding profits this year.