31.   Investors might prefer buying shares in a pure China play, particularly since Hong Kong Telecom lost its monopoly on local phone services two years ago.

32.   Investors often prefer dollars to deutsche marks as a haven when turmoil in Russia looms because Germany is a major creditor to that country.

33.   Investors prefer the higher returns on longer term bonds when they are confident that interest rate will not be rising.

34.   Investors prefer to place their trust in the collective wisdom of free markets.

35.   Investors generally prefer the Ulivo because it is seen as more serious about these goals.

36.   Investors may prefer to let professional managers do the stock picking.

37.   Investors prefer drug companies in a slowing economy because their earnings are relatively stable.

38.   Investors prefer to plow money into stock and bond markets while the outlook for inflation stays dim.

39.   Investors typically prefer companies with well-focused operations, so such a split could make the separate stocks worth more than the shares of the combined company.

40.   Investors generally prefer the Ulivo over its center-right rivals Freedom Alliance because it is seen as more serious about cutting the budget deficit.