"You can't get a bus; Tommy has them all," said Mr. Kraft, referring to the designer's huge purchase of transit advertising this summer.

Beijing's huge purchases of oil and other resources have made it the continent's third-largest trading partner.

But it also means that they must do something else with their dollars, and that has led to huge purchases of Treasury and corporate bonds.

Back in August, when the city-state's authorities began making huge purchases to support share prices, many outsiders condemned it as an outrageous violation of free-market principles.

Shoppers cannot lug huge purchases into the subway, and taxi fares would wipe out the savings.

Japan's huge purchases of these securities in the last few years have helped to finance the Federal budget deficit and thereby dampen United States interest rates.

Both countries have made huge purchases American Treasury securities and dollars to try to restrain their currencies from rising too much against the dollar.

Barings collapsed after Mr. Leeson made huge purchases of Japanese stock and bond futures in an investment strategy that has never been fully explained.

No Disclosure Law The acquisition was apparently accomplished in huge purchases after the stock market closed last Tuesday.

But then Mr. Arnault jumped into the market with his huge purchases, investment community officials said.