1.   An increase in U.S. rates would force Hong Kong to tighten credit to keep its currency pegged to the dollar.

2.   Analysts said moves to tighten credit following the currency crisis sweeping Southeast Asia may help stabilize financial markets, though at the cost of slower economic and profit growth.

3.   As China tightened credit to curb inflation, it became harder for these companies to borrow.

4.   Bankers are also tightening credit because their portfolios look like minefields.

5.   Bostian, however, expects the Fed will tighten credit at least one more time this year.

6.   A strong economy would be good for corporate profits, but might persuade the Federal Reserve to tighten credit.

7.   But earlier in the week, another Fed governor, John LaWare, seemed to imply that the Fed had finished tightening credit.

8.   But now, amid signs that some consumers may have reached their debt limits and are having trouble paying their bills, economists expect lenders to tighten credit.

9.   But some analysts doubt that the Fed needs to tighten credit immediately.

10.   Card companies are tightening credit and raising fees as a result.