41.   The indexes are calculated by subtracting the number of respondents who say manufacturing activity or prices are falling from the number who say they are rising.

42.   The indexes are calculated by subtracting the number of respondents who say production or prices are falling from the number who say they are rising.

43.   The key business outlook index is calculated by subtracting the latter from the former.

44.   The manufacturing index is calculated by subtracting the percentage of respondents who expect a decrease in production, orders and other components from the percentage looking for an increase.

45.   The manufacturing index is calculated by subtracting the percentage of respondents who expect a decrease in production, orders and other components from those looking for an increase.

46.   The sentiment indexes are calculated by subtracting the percentage of those who feel pessimistic about the economy from those who are optimistic.

47.   Analysts said the markets tend to discount the report on leading indicators because the performance of its components is already widely known before the total index is calculated.

48.   And, in response, House Speaker Newt Gingrich and other Republicans have called on the department to revise the way it calculates the index.

49.   D and B calculates the index by subtracting the percentage of respondents expecting a decrease from the percentage of those expecting an increase.

50.   Food costs make up a large part of the basket of goods used to calculate the index.