21.   Traders also said insurers pessimistic about the economy were trying to sell banking shares following a rally sparked by buying by foreign pension funds.

22.   U.S. stocks rose following a rally in bonds which lifted bank shares.

23.   Violence flared Thursday in Dili, the capital of East Timor, as militias rampaged through the streets following a rally of forces opposed to independence from Indonesia.

24.   A Basque youth movement vowed to go ahead Friday with a pro-independence demonstration despite a ban by the regional government prompted by violence that followed previous rallies.

25.   Asian stocks were mostly higher Thursday following overnight rallies on Wall Street, although Hong Kong bucked the trend and closed lower.

26.   Asian stocks soared Thursday but gave up some of their biggest gains, following a rally on Wall Street inspired by the surprise U.S. interest rate cut.

27.   Brokers said share prices were little changed at midday in absence of any market-moving news before surging in the afternoon following the rally on the Tokyo exchange.

28.   But foreign investors and domestic investment trust funds bought high-technology blue chips following a rally of similar issues on the New York Stock Exchange on Wednesday.

29.   Currency trading was also subdued, with the dollar losing some ground on profit-taking following its rally overnight in New York.

30.   In New York overnight, the dollar rose following a rally in the U.S. bond market which sparked new interest in the dollar.