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In recent months<!----> we have seen soaring fuel and food prices, declining home prices and home equity, a fairly high increase in the unemployment rate and an economy which has slowed considerably from its levels just a few months earlier. Yet at the same time, we are seeing the consumer holding up better than many folks had anticipated. So where are people spending money?

Obviously, some of this is due to an increase in gasolinepurchases, but we also see some strength out of select retailers on thevery high end where a falling dollar has made US goods less expensivefor foreign tourists,