71.   Australian stocks roared to new heights Thursday as investor optimism, ignoring warnings that share prices were near dangerous levels, defied market logic.

72.   Beaten-down prices and investor optimism for an end to the political maelstrom surrounding the presidential election helped push stock prices higher Friday.

73.   Beaten-down prices and investor optimism for an end to the political maelstrom surrounding the presidential election helped push stocks higher Friday.

74.   Beaten down prices and investor optimism for an end to the political maelstrom surrounding the presidential election helped push stocks higher Friday.

75.   Broad-based investor optimism was limited to a narrow group of sectors, however, namely banking and financial services stocks.

76.   Investor optimism continued Tuesday.

77.   Investor optimism was limited to a narrow list of sectors, namely banking and financial services stocks.

78.   Nonetheless, investor optimism has been fed by strong earnings in several key sectors, including technology and financial services.

79.   On the stock market, the Nikkei index rebounded after U.S. stocks finished sharply higher as developments in the Afghanistan conflict boosted investor optimism.

80.   Soybean futures rallied higher Tuesday on the Chicago Board of Trade in a spurt of investor optimism about prospects for U.S. exports.