11.   Growing optimism that U.S. President Bill Clinton and Congress can agree on balancing the budget before the new year helped the dollar.

12.   In CARACAS, stocks are expected to continue climbing next week on growing optimism on the economy.

13.   In other trading, growing optimism that European monetary union will go forward on schedule bolstered the French franc against the mark.

14.   Japanese stocks may rise next week, led banks, real estate developers and insurers, amid growing optimism about consumer demand.

15.   Japanese stocks may rise in the coming week, led by banks, real estate developers and insurers, amid growing optimism about consumer demand.

16.   Part of the basis of the growing optimism has been the increasingly conciliatory tone from officials on both sides.

17.   Prices climbed throughout the week on sluggish holiday volume on growing optimism about the economy, traders said.

18.   Recent evidence of a revival cited by economists include growing optimism of businesses and households, and unexpectedly strong rises in manufacturing output and imports in December.

19.   Shares of many companies that tend to track the performance of the broader economy, known as cyclicals, advanced on growing optimism about the outlook for economic growth.

20.   Shares of telecommunications companies climbed amid growing optimism over their prospects for higher earnings, Kaneda said.