1.   An economic slowdown that snuffs demand for stocks and dampens trading activity.

2.   By pushing interest rates higher at the slightest hint of an inflation threat, traders helped dampen business activity and lessen the likelihood of accelerating prices.

3.   By pushing interest rates higher at the slightest hint of an inflation threat, traders have helped dampen business activity and lessen the likelihood that prices increases will accelerate.

4.   By pushing interest rates higher at the slightest hint of an inflation threat, traders have helped dampen business activity and lessen the likelihood of accelerating prices.

5.   By pushing interest rates higher at the slightest hint of an inflation threat, traders have helped dampen business activity and lessened the likelihood of accelerating prices.

6.   Dr. Sherry Cooper, chief economist at Nesbitt Burns Securities Inc., said the activity suggested that interest rates were nowhere near high enough to dampen activity.

7.   Economists said personal spending is picking up and after military tension with Beijing earlier in the year dampened economic activity.

8.   Greenspan could help dampen trading activity by raising the amount of money investors must put up when buying certain securities.

9.   High interest rates boost corporate borrowing costs, home mortgage costs and depress consumer spending, with the overall effect being to dampen economic activity.

10.   In others, poor April weather dampened activity and delayed hiring.