1.   Experts cautioned on Wednesday that a sliding economy could undo some of the population gains, especially since several intractable problems still plague Chicago.

2.   President and Chief Executive Bob Nardelli said he was cautious about the near term because of the sliding economy and collapsing market for building products.

3.   Retailers are expected to promote their wares heavily this year in an attempt to counter the impact of a sliding economy and flagging consumer spending.

4.   This time some of the earliest victims of the sliding economy came from the other end of the job spectrum.

5.   Adding to the gloom are the sliding economies in the United States and Japan.

6.   But as strategic missteps, smarter competition and the sliding economy pulled down Lucent sales, some investors and analysts saw the country club as a poor investment.

7.   But the sliding economy is also becoming an increasingly important factor, and the party leadership is under intense pressure to take effective measures to bolster it.

8.   He cited popular discontent with government efforts to reduce poverty and fight corruption and a sliding economy amid low global oil prices.

9.   The sliding economy probably will continue its descent through the winter amid rising unemployment and falling property values, a top Federal Reserve Bank official said.