1.   As house sales have slumped, so has spending on department-store specialities like furniture, carpets and electrical appliances.

2.   Meat sales have slumped following the most recent health scare.

3.   Staff saw costs escalating and sales slumping as the effect of the recession hit the company.

4.   Ominously, car sales slumped in August.

5.   They saw costs escalating and sales slumping as the effect of oil crises and world recession hit the Company.

6.   Analysts pared earnings estimate for Hewlett-Packard Co. and International Business Machines Corp. amid signs that European sales are slumping and demand for home personal computers has slackened.

7.   Analysts pared earnings estimates for Hewlett-Packard Co. and International Business Machines Corp. amid signs that European sales are slumping and demand for home computers has slackened.

8.   Analysts pared earnings estimates for Hewlett-Packard Co. and International Business Machines Corp. amid signs that European sales are slumping and demand for home personal computers has slackened.

9.   And mall sales slumped.

10.   Art sales slumped.