71.   They say the mildly upbeat reports reflect a change in the way the government compiles the statistics, and not real economic improvements.

72.   U.S. payments to the world body were cut and more of the financial burden was shifted to developing countries that have experienced economic improvement.

73.   Voters hoped for economic improvement but feared further paralysis as they faced a wide choice of parties and candidates in parliamentary elections Sunday.

74.   Without noticeable economic improvement his chances of winning a second term would be likely to fizzle even further.

75.   Former premier Zhao Ziyang himself had warned during the Tiananmen Square upheaval that when China reforms economically, people would not be satisfied with just economic improvement.

76.   He said there was little hope for economic improvement without some fundamental changes in policy and priorities.

77.   Ikimi was keen, however, to stress the need for economic improvement as a precursor to political reforms.

78.   But despite apparent economic improvement in member states, they had to increase competitiveness to create jobs.

79.   But he added that the severity of labour market conditions indicated continued weakness in the speed of economic improvement.

80.   But nevertheless it said there were growing signs indicating gradual economic improvement in the manufacturing sector.