1.   And credit-card use showed the smallest increase since December.

2.   And there have been no increases since then.

3.   Consumers have been laboring under the largest tax increases since the second World War.

4.   Even retail juggernaut Wal-Mart Stores Inc. posted its lowest increase since March.

5.   Even stalwart Wal-Mart Stores Inc. posted its smallest increase since March.

6.   If so, it will be the fourth increase since June.

7.   It was the first increase since January.

8.   It was the largest increase since October.

9.   It was the smallest increase since August, although the gain was twice what analysts had anticipated.

10.   It was their first increase since the company announced the problems last Thursday.