The strongest sector was base metals, with lead imports in August rising 51 percent year over year, supported by very strong demand from lead acid and battery makers.

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Candidates are emerging who are likeable and who appeal to the party's base, but Clinton and Giuliani are still seen as the strongest nominees.

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Part of the reason is that a strong capital base and a liquid balance sheet--HSBC has one of the strongest Tier 1 ratios out of the big banks--is something the company has never parted from, Green says.

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While Electronic Arts' "Medal of Honor Warfighter" failed to connect with the first-person shooter fan base last fall, the publisher's "Battlefield" franchise remains one of its strongest.

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