51.   With voters expected to reject a tax increase, worries arose about its ability to pay its debts and avoid sharp cuts in services.

52.   Pharmaceutical-company shares rose after the Financial Times reported that world drug sales recovered sharply this year after languishing on sharp cuts in health-care budgets.

53.   A decline in oil revenues has forced sharp cuts in the state budget, but the fund -- and the dividend -- have grown in the booming stock market.

54.   At the same time, however, falling oil prices have forced sharp cuts in the state budget.

55.   Baturin favors sharp cuts in the size of the army and other radical changes.

56.   But key Schroeder aides were quoted over the weekend as saying that the government would present plans by the summer for sharp cuts in business taxes starting next year.

57.   Chinese orders have become a boon for many Russian defense plants, which are struggling for survival amid sharp cuts of orders from the cash-strapped government.

58.   Cardoso also promised sharp spending cuts, staff reductions, office closings and an accelerated battle against corruption and administrative waste.

59.   Critics of the treaty say sharp cuts in fossil fuel burning would cripple economic growth.

60.   Despite the sharp cuts, Democrats made little effort to restore funds.