61.   In foreign currency trading, the peso weakened slightly against the dollar, with gains in the Thai baht offsetting early pressure from a weaker yen, dealers said.

62.   In the afternoon session, brisk buying by European institutional investors more than offset profit-taking, dealers said.

63.   In Singapore, shares closed sharply higher largely on speculative buying, especially in Malaysian over-the-counter shares, dealers said.

64.   Indonesian share prices closed lower, with mining and cigarette issues leading the decline as the weakening rupiah fueled pessimism toward the Jakarta market, dealers said.

65.   Issues related to recovery from a disastrous earthquake in the Kobe area in western Japan last month were under selling pressure, dealers said.

66.   It said Swiss dealers and collectors played a major part in World War II trafficking in Nazi-looted art.

67.   Later Thursday, unnamed banks sold dollars on the market, causing the leu to regain some ground on the currency market, dealers said.

68.   Malaysian share prices soared on hopes that Malaysia will be reinstated into the closely-watched Morgan Stanley Capital International Indexes, or MSCI, dealers said.

69.   Meanwhile, the stock market rallied as short covering in the cash market added to arbitrage-related advances early in the session, dealers said.

70.   Meanwhile, continued strength on Wall Street inspired confidence among investors in Tokyo, dealers said.