21.   Analysts widely believe the Fed will pass up the chance to reduce rates at itsnext meeting, because of uncertainty of the budget negotiations between President Clinton and Congress.

22.   And as interest rates rise, so should the rate at which rational investors discount those future profits.

23.   And Bousquette would not disclose statistics about the effort, which she said tracked traffic, customer acquisition and the rate at which visitors made purchases.

24.   And is this a particularly noteworthy situation when you consider the low graduation rates at some of the basketball powers?

25.   And some are even wondering if the central bank will raise rates at all this year.

26.   And while the vacancy rate at Lewis has dipped, it has climbed at Phoenix-area prisons.

27.   And with the jobless rate at the lowest in a generation, inflation may not be far off, Woods added.

28.   Another new wrinkle could have electric companies, like long-distance providers, offering lower rates at off-peak hours, when it is cheaper for them to supply power.

29.   Any statistics on the rate at which students write home for money?

30.   As a result, some analysts think the Fed might shy away from raising rates at its February meeting even if growth seems to remain strong.