71.   Rojas Parra also denied speculation that the government is allowing the bolivar to weaken to finance recent salary hikes to public employees.

72.   Sam Ick officials denied speculation its finances are wobbly.

73.   Sakakibara denied speculation in the currency market that he had said yesterday that the dollar had room to fall.

74.   Rupprecht denied speculation, though, that the company is considering selling its truck division to German automobile maker Volkswagen AG.

75.   Samsung Electronics Co. and other South Korean semiconductor manufacturers denied speculation they decided to cut production of computer memory chips to boost sagging prices.

76.   Rojas Parra also denied speculation that the government is allowing the bolivar to weaken to fund recent salary hikes to public employees.

77.   Shaw denies speculation that it is in serious financial trouble, and Shaw is not a big bond investor, as was Long-Term Capital.

78.   Separately, Guinness denied speculation that it was preparing a bid for London-based food and spirits maker Grand Metropolitan Plc.

79.   Skandia denied the speculation.

80.   Sino executives denied the speculation.