11.   The sharp decline in palm oil futures prices occurred amidst the sliding prices of soybean and soyoil at the Chicago Board of Trade, the dealer said.

12.   To stop sliding prices, the government has imposed price controls on building materials, machinery, metallurgical products, textiles and petrochemical products.

13.   Local economists, however, disagreed with Robinson, arguing there was little the BoJ could do to reverse sliding prices which resulted from cheap imports.

14.   Some economists suggest that falling sentiment and sliding stock prices could produce a vicious downward cycle.

15.   The government has said it would flesh out in June further measures to halt sliding prices in Japan and prod the economy out of recession.