Retail construction spending has gr...

Retail construction spending has grown at a comparatively moderate pace this year and -- at least until lately -- appeared poised to comfortably surpass 1998 spending of the same heights

However, over-the-year gains faded badly during the summer and we now believe that total spending expansion will be marginal during 1999 After expanding on just 3.8 percent during 1998 retail construction spending was growing at more than twice that rate -- 78 percent -- within the first five months of 1999 if it be not that the tide began to move round in June, when over-the-year spending development slid to 4.5 percent,