Products sold are mostly small and relatively inexpensive.
The outlook for the U.S. economy, the trends within it, and growth prospects for Europe are the best proxy for determining product de-mand. In the U.S., economic growth slowed substantially during the fourth quarter of 2000. As a result, the Federal Reserve is forecast to reduce interest rates starting in January 2001 to boost growth. Overall, our economic fore-cast is for real GDP to increase 4.75 percent in 2000 and for that rate of growth to slow to 3.75 percent in 2001. Growth in the manufacturing sector is estimated to improve, commencing during the second quar-ter of 2001.