31.   Comments from Bundesbank President Hans Tietmeyer also prompted institutional investors and hedge funds to snap up German marks in favor of yen, dealers said.

32.   Concerns that the Japanese central bank may again intervene in the market to prevent the dollar from falling are supporting the U.S. currency, dealers said.

33.   Continued strength on Wall Street inspired confidence among investors in Tokyo, dealers said.

34.   Crude palm oil physicals also closed sharply lower yesterday on profit taking activities and the recovery of the ringgit against the US dollar, a dealer said.

35.   Crude palm oil futures on the Kuala Lumpur Commodity Exchange closed higher yesterday on heavy buying, also prompted by the fall of the ringgit, a dealer said.

36.   Crude palm oil futures on the Kuala Lumpur Commodity Exchange closed higher yesterday on panic buying by some players who were holding short positions, a dealer said.

37.   Crude palm oil physicals closed unchanged yesterday in quiet trading ahead of the year-end, a dealer said.

38.   Crude palm oil physicals, however, closed slightly higher given the easier ringgit against the US dollar, a dealer said.

39.   Currency trading was lackluster, confined to position adjustments ahead of the expected announcement later Wednesday of the sanctions, dealers said.

40.   Expectations that Singapore bank loans to Indonesia will not prove to be a total write-off lifted the banking sector, dealers said.