81.   That slowing comes as banks lend less and use the funds to help reduce their own debt, economists said.

82.   That will hurt larger companies more than smaller ones since they have larger work forces and offer more benefits, economists said.

83.   That will hurt a whole range of companies, economist said.

84.   That suggests business costs, and inflation, remain contained and that interest rates can continue to fall, economists said.

85.   That suggests the economy will not grow as fast as initially expected in the January-March period before the government raises taxes in April, economists said.

86.   That could help send interest rates and bond yields lower, say some economists.

87.   That means inventory building would end later this fall, economists said.

88.   That risk also may lead some workers to want to spend less time at the office and more time with their families, the economists said.

89.   That will force large exporters to cut prices to remain competitive, and they will turn to their suppliers to make up the difference, economists said.

90.   The change, economists said, was largely the result of buying by banks and other customers who need rubles to pay their debts.