1.   Others said it was caused by speculators who built up private holdings of the metal in anticipation of rising prices.

2.   So did the speculators cause this problem, or just exacerbate it?

3.   But Dibyo acknowledged that the recent scarcity of some basic commodities at several markets was not caused by speculators stashing supplies but the panic buying which occurred last week.

4.   The felling of the forests by land speculators is also causing soil erosion and the water table to rise, the paper reported.

5.   Speculators have caused a dizzying rise in share prices for Solidere, the company behind the reconstruction of Beirut city centre, a financial expert told AFP Thursday.