1.   This was due both to the general reduction in the level of retail sales growth and to fashion market reversal in demand for products made from jersey fabric.

2.   Duofold, one of the International Apparel Brands, had another strong year of sales growth.

3.   The home-delivery operation -- Argos Direct -- also saw good sales growth for an increased range of products.

4.   Also out today was the news that residential property sales growth slowed in the first-half.

5.   Also today, IBM Chairman Louis Gerstner told analysts the company is seeing strong sales growth in services, chips and storage products.

6.   American Brands Inc. reported a better-than-expected earnings in the fourth quarter on strong sales growth.

7.   Although the sales growth rate has slowed in the past four years, the enthusiasm of shareholders for the company did not seem to have dimmed.

8.   Amgen Inc. said that changes in Medicare rules will slow the sales growth of one of its best-selling drugs, kidney-disease treatment Epogen.

9.   Analysts expect chipmakers that sell into the data networking and telecommunications markets to show lower sales growth because of a slowdown in those markets.

10.   Analysts have forecast slowing sales growth this year, but early reports are below most predictions.