51.   Housing is one of the most interest-sensitive sectors of the economy and analysts predict higher interest rates will crimp consumer demand even further this year.

52.   Sales were especially bad in Japan, where the long ailing economy has slipped into recession, crimping consumer demand.

53.   The dollar inched higher against the yen but its gains were held back by a selloff on Wall Street, which crimped demand for dollars.

54.   The weak domestic economy has also crimped demand for foreign goods.