1.   A spokesman for Australian Treasurer Ralph Willis said the government currently has no intention of raising the foreign ownership ceiling on metropolitan newspapers.

2.   In Indonesia, foreign ownership ceilings were raised while in Malaysia, stock trading curbs were lifted and some major public works projects shelved.

3.   The Federal Communications Commission stopped granting waivers to companies betting on higher ownership ceilings.

4.   Under the Bush administration, the FCC has not challenged that court ruling, as the commission is expected to lift the ownership ceiling in coming months.

5.   An analyst at a large local brokerage commented there will be more local finance firms allowing higher foreign ownership ceilings.

6.   With the higher foreign ownership ceiling it would be easier for Thai Danu to step up as a universal bank in the future, banking analysts said.

7.   Foreign stock ownership ceilings should be raised earlier than planned, he said.

8.   The stock ownership ceiling for an individual foreigner would be three percent, it said, adding the partial opening was a response to a call by outsiders.