The golf event could be a positive catalyst for the industry, which has had a decline in occupancy rates over the past year.

This development serves as a positive catalyst to further development in the area."

The positive catalyst today is the expectation that the China tightening cycle might loosen.

Catalysts that speed the reaction are called positive catalysts.

In her note, she cited "several positive catalysts," including improved growth prospects abroad, especially in Japan.

"Deep value hasn't worked because there haven't been any positive catalysts to get investors interested in the cheapest of the cheap names," Mr. Heppelmann said.

He said Intrado's recent contract renewal with BellSouth through July 2010 was a "positive catalyst" for the stock.

Positive catalysts speed up a reaction and negative catalysts slow down a reaction and possibly cause the reaction not occur at all.

Investors can't hope for any kind of positive catalysts in terms of earnings announcements or communications coming out of companies that is going to allow the market to shake off the torpor of accounting concerns."

In a carefully hedged bulletin, a leading Wall Street Microsoft analyst, Rick Sherlund of Goldman, Sachs, said XP "could be a positive catalyst" for the company, but not till well into the 2002 fiscal year.

"The certainty created when Congress set the February 17 hard date for the DTV transition was a positive catalyst for broadcasters, manufacturers, retailers, public safety groups, consumers and the government," says NAB Vice President Dennis Wharton.

So far, we here in Parliament have been positive catalysts for environmental protection but now, if the amendments proposed by Mr Florenz and Mr Lange are adopted, we are to become a negative factor for the environment in Europe.