11.  French benchmark stocks rose, posting their largest percentage gain in nearly two years, amid growing investor confidence the planned single European currency will happen on time.

12.  German Chancellor Helmut Kohl said he received assurances from other European Union leaders they would apply strictly the convergence criteria for the planned single currency.

13.  Germany persuaded its European Union allies to strengthen the planned common currency by stiffening penalties on countries that run up inflationary budget deficits.

14.  Investors who believe the planned European single currency, the euro, will be inflation-prone also tend to switch their funds into francs.

15.  Investors who believe the planned European single currency, the euro, will be inflation-prone also tend to switch their funds into Swiss francs.

16.  It then pared earlier gains with other European markets, as remarks by a Bundesbank official provoked renewed concern about the viability of the planned common European currency.

17.  Italian bonds later recovered after Prime Minister Romano Prodi said he remained fully committed to adopting the planned single currency.

18.  Neither Europe, nor its planned single currency, will escape.

19.  Speculation has grown that the launch of the planned single European currency will be delayed as German economic weakness has depressed revenues and pushed welfare spending up.

20.  SWISS stocks fell as European bond yields soared for a second day amid concerns about the timing of a planned European Union single currency.