1.   In the equity market, some studies indicate stocks that split tend to do better than benchmark averages, he said.

2.   It marked the eighth straight day the benchmark stock average closed at an all-time high.

3.   The benchmark average was led lower by Merck and Coke.

4.   The benchmark stock average was little changed in early afternoon trading today.

5.   The poor relative returns of the big mutual funds provides more evidence of how especially tough it is for big funds to beat benchmark stock market averages.

6.   The poor relative returns of the big mutual funds provides more evidence of how tough it is to beat the benchmark average.

7.   Exporters such as Sony Corp., Canon Inc. and Toyota Motor Corp. led the benchmark average higher.

8.   The benchmark average fell mainly on the active unwinding of cross-shareholdings by Japanese companies ahead of the March book-closing and hedge selling by investors.

9.   Tokyo stocks rallied late Friday, pushing the benchmark average higher for the eighth straight day, after the prime minister voiced support for tax cuts.

10.   Weak futures and profit-taking in blue chips pulled the benchmark average down in the afternoon following morning gains.