11.   Lower rates should stimulate consumption and, in the long run, boost stock prices, analysts said.

12.   The Japanese government must make deep tax cuts now to stimulate consumption of imports to help East Asian economies hit by the crisis.

13.   Hence a reduction of short-term interest rates in Europe is inevitable in view of the need to stimulate consumption and investments, experts say.

14.   Union and opposition leaders, economists and business officials said Finance Minister Paul Martin did not do enough to stimulate consumption by boosting social spending or lowering taxes.

15.   One operator said that the foreign investors were betting on Chirac, and in any case, whoever wins, French domestic consumption will be stimulated by wage increases.

16.   The French government wants to stimulate consumption as a way of increasing the growth of the French economy, which has slowed down markedly in the last few months.