"Oil is sucking us dry, and even stronger world growth cannot keep the trade deficit from widening." -Joel Naroff, chief economist at Naroff Economic Advisors.

...better than the 0.2 percent decline analysts were predicting. "Don't count the consumer out yet," said economist Joel Naroff of Naroff Economic Advisors, who said the report raised hopes the holiday shopping season will be better than expected...

...restaurants. But they bought more cars, clothing and hardware. ''Are households tapped out? No way,'' said economist Joel Naroff of Naroff Economic Advisors. ''The consumer is happy, flush and ready to spend and they will continue to do so...

...themselves up for a huge disappointment, some economists say. "Clearly there will be some opportunities there," said Joel Naroff, president of Naroff Economic Advisors, of Holland, Pa., which advises corporations on domestic and international...

...economists are concerned about the lack of new jobs being created. "Essentially this is a jobless recovery," said Joel Naroff of Naroff Economic Advisors in Pennsylvania. "Unfortunately businesses have every good reason to be conservative right...

...the bolder, half-point move, the Fed ''put away the popgun and brought out the big cannon,'' said economist Joel Naroff of Naroff Economic Advisors in Holland, Pa. While many economists believe the latest rate increase won't be the...

...that have been expressed by Mr. Greenspan ... that economic weakness remains the greatest risk," said economist Joel Naroff of Naroff Economic Advisors. On Wall Street, the weak GDP reading pushed stocks lower, fanning investors' worries...

...demand shows signs of abating" although it cautioned that as of yet those signs remained "preliminary and tentative." Joel Naroff, chief economist of a Holland, Pa., consulting firm, said the Fed seemed to be saying "if the data that come out...

...inflation not a major problem, it only made sense to pass. But that does not mean the Fed is done,'' said economist Joel Naroff of Naroff Economic Advisors. ''The extent of the economic moderation is not at all clear.'' Even though the central...

...Jones industrial average down 49 points to 10,593 and the Nasdaq composite index off 46 points to 2,261. Economist Joel Naroff said the reading on confidence, combined with the housing figures, show consumers are badly shaken. "Consumers are...