Industry advocates claim that if generic sales inched up to 52 percent, American consumers would save an estimated $11 billion a year in drug costs.

But over the years, revolvers have reappeared in stores and sales have inched upward.

In the fourth quarter of 1997, for example, retail sales inched up 1 percent; the Standard & Poor's 500 index rose 3 percent.

Ford announced today that its sales inched up 0.6 percent from an extremely strong performance a year ago.

In the one-bedroom category, sales inched up only 0.6 percent, from 2,709 to 2,725.

Toyota's sales inched up 2.7 percent to break a record set last year.

In the second quarter, worldwide sales of concentrates inched up 2 percent.

But sales inched up just 1.2 percent, to $1.59 billion from $1.57 billion.

Without anyone having really noticed, sales of new and existing homes have inched downward since June, despite steadily falling mortgage rates.

Same-store sales, or sales in stores open at least a year, have only inched ahead despite heavy promotions.