U.S. HOUSE SPEAKER DENIES TRADE BILL HURT STOCKS
House Speaker Jim Wright dismissed
charges that the trade bill before Congress contributed to the
fall in stock prices on Wall Street.
    "That is utterly ridiculous," the Texas Democrat told
reporters.
    Treasury Secretary James Baker and other administration
officials over the weekend pointed to the pending legislation
-- which they brand too protectionist -- as a key factor in the
record-setting drop.
 Reuter
