1.   Benchmark indexes in Hong Kong, Tokyo, Singapore and Thailand gained as companies tried to persuade investors they can fend off defaults and bankruptcies.

2.   Blondin said he supported the changes because they help persuade investors that market-makers were not benefiting unduly from trading in Nasdaq stock at their expense.

3.   In other words, rooting out corruption is lower on his priority list than, for example, putting up electricity lines and persuading investors to come here.

4.   In three cases, companies with minimal, if any, real value have managed to persuade investors they were worth a billion or more.

5.   It may be hard to persuade some investors, however.

6.   Japanese bonds rose, driving the benchmark yield to a record low, on expectations that plunging equities will persuade investors to channel funds into fixed-income securities.

7.   Japanese bonds rose, driving the benchmark yield to a record low, on expectations plunging equities will persuade investors to channel funds into fixed-income securities.

8.   Last year, they tried to persuade investors to buy into the likes of DesignAjewel.com.

9.   MCI WorldCom chief executive Bernard Ebbers has generally been able to persuade investors to stay on board as he spends billions to get the market position he wants.

10.   She will help persuade investors to buy stock in the company if it goes public.