101.   It was the first decline in nondurable goods orders since last September.

102.   Revised figures for February showed however that the operating rate of capacity at US industries fell for two straight months in the first back-to-back decline in nearly two years.

103.   Retailers, wholesalers and food servicing firms reported the first decline in nine years.

104.   Statistics Canada said this represented the first planned decline in such capital investment in four years.

105.   That was the first back-to-back decline in a year.

106.   The drop marked the first decline in retail sales since July.