21.   Even the weather helped -- a big harvest offset a slump in industry.

22.   Retailers are hoping that the next seven days will help offset the slump that plagued business most of the month.

23.   Robust sales in North America have helped offset the slump.

24.   Sales improved in the Americas and Britain, offsetting a slump in the Middle East, Asia and elsewhere.

25.   The American steel industry accused Japanese steelmakers of dumping their products in the United States to offset a slump in Japan.

26.   Analysts criticised Tokyo for offering no fresh answers to offset the slump and for being overly optimistic.