11.   A Japanese official today told Japanese reporters it had dropped its opposition to gold sales.

12.   A U.K. Treasury official said it was touch and go on whether the seven leaders would agree to gold sales.

13.   Buoyant stock and bond markets, low inflation and concern about possible forthcoming European central bank gold sales have kept gold prices contained.

14.   But it seems that they realized only recently that the fear of a flood of central bank gold sales had taken control of market sentiment.

15.   Central banks also are concerned about the use of the proceeds from gold sales, he said.

16.   Central banks have slowed the pace of gold sales.

17.   Clinton pledged U.S. support, which must be cleared by Congress, for gold sales by the IMF to help with loan forgiveness in Africa.

18.   Concern about central bank gold sales will also persist, she said.

19.   Concern over gold sales by central banks and a lack of inflation is keeping prices low.

20.   Germany has expressed concerns that a gold sale could lead to other claims on IMF money and undermine the global lending institution.