Spending for residential construction was also up a healthy 1.1 percent, to an annual rate of $207.1 billion.

The fund said the world's economy was gathering steam, however, and would grow by a healthy 3.6 percent next year.

In the third quarter, it returned a healthy 12.7 percent.

Common stock offerings were up a healthy 19 percent from the same period a year ago, at $25.8 billion.

Manufacturing productivity, for example, rose by a healthy 4.8 percent.

But car sales for Jan. 1-10 rose a healthy 29.8 percent over a year ago.

Sales rose a healthy 10 percent at stores that had been open for more than a year.

Without this weakness, orders would have climbed a healthy 1 percent during the month.

Meanwhile, the economy is growing by a healthy 9.8 percent, virtually the same as last year.

For one, the radio industry is expected to increase its revenues a healthy 8 percent over the next five years.