1.   HONG KONG stocks rose for the first time in six days as the dollar, U.S. bonds and American shares pointed to lower interest rates.

2.   Lower profits probably point to lower stock prices, bringing brokerage firms closer to potential acquirers.

3.   One indicator pointed to lower share prices when trading opens.

4.   Prices of Treasury securities ended higher Wednesday, helped by a stronger dollar and by comments from a top Federal Reserve official pointing to lower interest rates.

5.   Pointing to lower sales throughout the country, economists blamed rising mortgage rates as the biggest reason for the decline.