61.   Economists expected spending to remain weak through the summer as uncertainty about wages and higher taxes force consumers to pocket more of their incomes, economist said.

62.   Economists generally expect sales to start increasing in the summer.

63.   Economists had expected a drop.

64.   Economists had expected a small gain after similar cutbacks in September.

65.   Economists had expected little market reaction to the January numbers.

66.   Economists had expected no change in initial weekly jobless claims.

67.   Economists had expected prices would be unchanged.

68.   Economists had expected the deficit to be unchanged in the month.

69.   Economists were expecting somewhat smaller gains in both housing starts and industrial production, and stocks and bonds were both down.

70.   Economists do not expect the Bank of Japan to raise interest rates before the end of the summer because the higher consumption tax will likely slow private spending.