41.   Californians conserved energy at a lower rate last month compared with previous months, making state officials worry that consumers are becoming complacent about the power crisis.

42.   Combined with upward revisions in previous months and reports of stellar Christmas shopping nationwide, the report suggested that consumer spending remained extremely strong.

43.   Construction companies, which also rely mainly on demand within Germany, were even more pessimistic than in the two previous months, Ifo said.

44.   Consumer borrowing rose in September at a slower pace than the previous month, a sign that household finances may be coming under stress.

45.   Completions were unchanged in the West during November from the previous month.

46.   Corn prices, on the other hand, declined at a faster pace than the previous month.

47.   Economists polled by Bloomberg Business News had expected no change from the previous month.

48.   Economists had forecasted that both measures would be unchanged from the previous month.

49.   Each participant attends a monthly meeting, reporting to job counselors on what he or she did the previous month and working up a plan for the next month.

50.   Exceptionally low temperatures during the previous month depressed sales, while discounting by retailers in June prompted shoppers to spruce up their summer wardrobes.