But rents and the cost of owning a home rose - each by a strong 0.4 percent.

The annual growth rate in those months was an unexpectedly strong 1.8 percent.

Personal interest income rose a strong 1 percent, to an annual rate of $601.1 billion, in November, after an identical increase a month earlier.

A1 The economy pressed ahead at a strong 6.9 percent annual rate in the last three months of 1999, revised government figures showed.

The food sector in general rose a strong 1.2 percent, three times the increase in August.

Retail sales rose a surprisingly strong 2.3 percent, according to the survey.

When the drought is factored out, growth was a relatively strong 3.1 percent.

Productivity was not down, it was up - by a strong 1 percent.

Industrial production rose a moderately strong 0.4 percent in October.

One of the biggest gains was in apparel sales, up a strong 2.4 percent.