1.   Researchers soon discovered that humans made leptin, too, raising hopes that the hormone might do the same thing for people that it did for the mice.

2.   The German Bundesbank trimmed its chief money market rate today, raising hopes it will cut its discount rate soon.

3.   January machinery orders and several other economic reports came in stronger than expected, raising hopes about improving sentiment in the Japanese business world.

4.   Domestic wholesale prices were unchanged in April and March on a month-on-month basis, raising hopes prolonged deflation is easing, economists said.