71.   In LONDON, zinc dropped as the deepening financial crisis in Asia reduced demand expectations and as exports of the metal from China surged.

72.   In NEW YORK, copper futures dropped as a decline in U.S. home sales reinforced expectations that consumer demand for copper will slow in the coming months.

73.   In contrast, Halloran was dropped as an informant when he refused to take the lie detector test.

74.   In the U.K., the Confederation of British Industry said manufacturing output dropped as the strength of the pound curbed export sales.

75.   Instead, the economy slowed in autumn and bond yields dropped as money managers concluded the Fed would stand pat.

76.   Insurance companies tend to own billions of dollars worth of bonds, whose value drops as rates rise.

77.   Insurance companies, who are big buyers of fixed-income securities with the money they take in from premiums, dropped as bonds lagged.

78.   Investors said Time Warner stock is dropping as arbitragers hedge on uncertainty whether the transaction will go through in six months, clearing these negotiations and regulatory hurdles.

79.   It has dropped as large businesses and homeowners have successfully challenged their assessments.

80.   It obtained permission to implant a camera in second base facing the runner coming from first, but later dropped it as inconsequential.