61.   A third of firms surveyed believed exports would rise across the year, with Belgium, Italy, Greece and Sweden most optimistic.

62.   But the economy slowly turned around as industrial growth picked up, exports rose and foreign investors seriously began eyeing a country they had virtually written off.

63.   But Kantor said exports had also risen dramatically over the past few months and that the differential between exports and imports was narrowing.

64.   But US Trade Representative Mickey Kantor recently said that exports had been rising dramatically over the past few months and that the differential between exports and imports was narrowing.

65.   During the first quarter, exports rose by five percent and imports rose by two percent.

66.   Exports would rise by seven percent and investment by eight percent.

67.   The recovery of the Germany economy was unusual in that exports had risen sharply and household spending moderately but investment had not yet picked up.

68.   The office also said that in the final quarter imports grew by about six per cent and exports rose by two per cent.

69.   The statistics bureau said merchandise exports rose eight percent in December while imports climbed just one percent.

70.   Toyota Motor Corp. and its archrival Nissan Motor Co. Ltd. said Thursday their exports rose in January.