41.   This suggests consumers may be backing away from their buying binge of the last year.

42.   WorldCom, the fourth-largest U.S. long-distance company, has already been on a buying binge to increase its business of providing Internet service.

43.   Grain and soy products prices gained ground Friday on the Chicago futures market, thanks to a continued buying binge carrying over from the day before.

44.   A lackluster week on Wall Street produced a marginal gain for blue-chip stocks, spurred by a buying binge Friday that made up for lost ground.