September 8 2004: Public confidence in the media in Russia has fallen to rock-bottom levels following controversial coverage of the Beslan school siege.

Nor do presidents set interest rates; they were pushed to rock-bottom levels by the Federal Reserve but are now being gradually increased.

When interest rates are at rock-bottom levels, monetary policy needs to be used more creatively.

The latest offerings are priced competitively, but not at rock-bottom levels, analysts said.

Interest rates are at rock-bottom levels and the pound has been rising in recent weeks.

It was the rock-bottom level of her own self-respect which troubled her.

If poor credit ratings cause interest rates to rise from their rock-bottom levels, Japan could start feeling the cost of a decade of heavy borrowing.

"No matter how much ground Jews and Christians may share, at a rock-bottom level, they still stand apart," he writes.

The result has been a domestic market swimming in crude oil, pushing prices down to rock-bottom levels.

This points to expectations of lower inflation and the anchoring of central-bank rates at rock-bottom levels.