1.   Economists worry that consumers will shrug off the latest hike, as they did the four previous increases.

2.   Following the latest insurance hike, Dubai-based airline Emirates and Gulf Air have suspended flights to Colombo, indefinitely.

3.   Oil Ministry officials declined to say what prompted the latest hike, which went into effect Sunday.

4.   Of course, this adds to additional expenses that local producers have to bear because of the latest hikes in the prices of water and electricity in the Kingdom.

5.   The National Milling Co. said the latest hikes were prompted by the continuing fall of the Zambian currency against the U.S. dollar.

6.   The latest Fed rate hike occurred Tuesday when the central bank boosted two key rates by three-quarters of a point.