1.   The fertile Guangdong province on the southern mainland was the first to open to trade with the West.

2.   In New Zealand, the first market to open trading for the day saw sterling and shares fall in the wake of the Barings crisis.

3.   The dollar fell sharply when trading opened on Wall Street eartly Friday but the volume of exchanges was low.

4.   The dollar has edged lower since trading opened, pressured mainly by foreign investor selling, but in thin trade overall, dealers said.