Such a flood of claims would be likely to arise in a prolonged economic downturn.

The prolonged economic downturn of the 1980s affected the agency's finances, however.

That most strategists would expect a sharp and prolonged downturn is only natural.

The reason for the filing is the prolonged downturn in sales.

One or both of them are likely to get into trouble before the stock market suffers a prolonged downturn.

The stock market has not experienced such a prolonged downturn since 1990, when the nation last slipped into a recession.

That psychology could be radically changed by a prolonged downturn.

Layoffs as a result of Japan's prolonged economic downturn have hit middle-aged men particularly hard.

It comes as Japan is preparing to open its financial markets in response to international pressure and to try to counter a prolonged economic downturn.

The town, with 14,000 people on 4.8 square miles, still bears the scars of a prolonged economic downturn that started in the mid-1950s.