41.   Economists expected spending to surge in the January-March quarter as consumers rushed to buy big-ticket items before the tax increase.

42.   Even shoppers who were spending money were buying specific items in many cases.

43.   Elisa bought the items again and again, her friend Ismary said.

44.   Every week, it seems, there was another news story about groups buying improbable items with trading stamps.

45.   Eyeballs, in Internet slang, represent the Web surfers who look at advertisements or buy items from on-line stores.

46.   Fans and collectors, looking to seize an opportunity, were buying items that may become scarce.

47.   Eze said customers can print the reports and use the information in them when they go to buy big-ticket items like homes, cars and electronic products.

48.   Everywhere Lunt traveled, he bought items for Ten Chimneys, then sent them to Wisconsin with strict instructions about where they were to go.

49.   For example, a visitor to a room with a vending machine and accessories can buy items.

50.   Ford Motor Co. posted lower-than-expected U.S. vehicle sales for July, indicating consumers are picking and choosing what big-ticket items they buy.