41.   Cui blamed the drop on a booming illegal trade between gold producers and processing factories, which offer higher prices than the central bank.

42.   Traders also blamed the drop on Tuesday on profit-taking in the wake of two winning sessions.

43.   Most brokers blamed the drop in stock prices in major regional markets on a plunge on Wall Street overnight following recent interest rate increases.

44.   The drop was blamed on the lack of quality fertilizers and spare parts for farm machinery, as well as problems in irrigation, UN sources said.

45.   The group blamed the drop on a weak German passenger market, a drop in freight charges and a hike in the price of fuel.