81.   Many traders tried to take advantage of narrower spreads between fixed rates and the yield on government bonds of comparable maturities.

82.   Lower interest rates make fixed rate securities less attractive relative to equities.

83.   Lower rates would pull money invested in Italian bonds into equities as fixed rate investments become less competitive.

84.   More Japanese commercial banks and some banks that issue debentures were eager to receive two- to five- year fixed rates and pay floating rates.

85.   Mortgage providers are competing to lure customers with discounts and attractive fixed rate products.

86.   Most home-equity loans are not adjustable during the life of the loan, but the fixed rate is written at a given increment above prime.

87.   Most New Zealand home mortgages are financed through floating rather than fixed rates.

88.   Muni bonds, with their fixed rates of return, have fought a losing battle for individual investors during the six-year bull market for U.S. stocks.

89.   Neil Bader, the chief executive of the Skyscraper Mortgage Co. in New York, said low fixed rates would not mark the end of the adjustable loan.

90.   Now the fixed rate can be applied to assets after two years.