1.   And if no big interest rate run-up is expected, then rates may be near their peak, which would make buying now attractive to many bond funds.

2.   Dealers, who are committed to heavy overhead costs, felt threatened when Ford recently made an unsuccessful overture to buy stakes in several north Atlanta Ford dealerships.

3.   Gasoline giant Mobil Corp. said its new Speedpass payment system will make buying gas a simple wave of a wand.

4.   In many cases, the larger bookstores have tripled their retail space and spruced up decaying urban shopping areas, making book buying more appealing to the public.

5.   Mortgage lenders gained amid optimism that lower rates make buying a new, or larger, homes more affordable.

6.   Nike has also come on board with Niketown, making shoe buying something like a trip to the Michael Jordan hall of fame.

7.   Prices also rose as technical traders, those who use charts and graphs to make buying and selling decisions, were active for a second day.

8.   Visa argues that it is taking the first steps in a long process to make online buying more secure.