11.   But, overall, share prices retained their firm tone throughout the day as the absence of foreign investor selling encouraged investors to remain active buyers, they said.

12.   European share prices made further headway on Friday, albeit in a year-end lull, as a firm tone on international markets encouraged modest buying interest.

13.   The Scandinavian currencies, which had fallen at the beginning of the week, maintained a firm tone.

14.   Traders said the market had been encouraged by German consumer price figures and by a firm tone on Wall Street.

15.   They added the underlying firm tone of the US unit remained intact.

16.   Using a firm tone during the televised broadcast, Fujimori rejected the possibility of releasing jailed members of the movement.

17.   Price movements of smaller stocks not linked to the Nikkei index, retained their recent firm tone, a sign of continued positive retail investor sentiment, brokers added.

18.   Remarks here reversed the firm tone of the dollar after US Treasury Secretary Robert Rubin overnight reiterated support for a strong dollar, dealers said.

19.   Share prices maintained a firm tone on futures-led buying and sustained purchases on the stock market by dealers and investment trusts, brokers said.

20.   Share prices retained a firm tone throughout the day, fluctuating mildly on continued buying of cyclical leaders and renewed profit-taking, brokers said.