51.   Although Williams did not call the decrease a recession, the island had three consecutive quarters of negative growth last year.

52.   Among the top ten industries, only petroleum recorded negative growth in this period, the EDB said in its latest monthly index of industrial production.

53.   Argentina is staggering toward the end of its third straight year of negative growth.

54.   Bension blamed two principal factors for the negative growth.

55.   But it still is doing better than its neighbors, some of which are recording negative growth.

56.   Chief executive Tung Chee-hwa said earlier this week that the SAR might post negative growth as the economy was undergoing major adjustment.

57.   Economies are usually judged to be in recession when there are two consecutive quarters of negative growth.

58.   Economists regard two successive quarters of negative growth as the criteria for a recession.

59.   Economists widely regard two successive quarters of negative growth as the criteria for a recession.

60.   Executive Councillor Tam Yiu-chung expressed fears that negative growth rate would significantly slash revenues and force the government to eventually cut its expenditure promised in the Budget.