21.   But the topic has generated rampant speculation in political circles.

22.   But the Walt Disney Co. successfully purchased Orange County, the opulent region of southern California that had been driven into bankruptcy by speculation in derivatives.

23.   Clark said the best way to prevent speculation in the case was to broadcast reality.

24.   Despite speculation in a Florida newspaper, the Sun Devils will not square off with Florida State this season.

25.   Despite widespread speculation in London that he left to rejoin a partner in the United States, there is no partner, people close to him say.

26.   Fairfax, which is the leading publisher of broadsheet newspapers in Australia, has been the subject of much takeover speculation in the last six months.

27.   Financial shares supported by takeover and merger speculation in the last month also saw their stock prices fall.

28.   Gannon disputed speculation in the industry that the merger was forced by either venture capitalists looking to increase the bottom line or one competitor seeking to eliminate the other.

29.   For three years before, banks made up for lack of income from troubled loans with profitable speculation in the volatile currency markets.

30.   George Eaton, great-grandson of the founder and now the president, encouraged such speculation in his news conference.