The bureau also reported that hourly compensation grew at an anemic annual rate of 3.3 percent in the quarter, a bit more slowly than inflation.

But domestic demand has risen at the anemic rate of only 0.2 percent a year.

And yet, whenever there is evidence of anything beyond an anemic rate of growth, the policy is to step in and ruthlessly head it off.

The growth will be at an anemic annual rate of 2 to 3 percent, however, instead of the current 3.9 percent, which is considered solid.

The World Bank predicts that trade among nations will increase at an anemic rate of 1 percent this year after soaring 12 percent in 2000.

That anemic rate compares with average growth of 12 to 13 percent a year between the 1984 breakup of A.T.&T. and 1990.

And on Friday, the Government announced that Japan's gross national product grew at an anemic annualized rate of only 0.5 percent in the fourth quarter.

But its sales continued to grow at an anemic rate, reinforcing concerns about plans by the telephone giant to keep pace in the fast-growing communications industry.

But the department also reported that manufacturing productivity improved at an anemic annual rate of 1.4 percent.

The McNitts are not alone in that assumption, with savings accounts offering anemic rates of interest and the stock market in decline.