"Right now they are a novelty," said Charles Elbaum, the president of Publishing Economics, an international consulting concern in New York.

"Economics," he said swiftly.

"Economics," Lissea said before Gresham could answer.

"If ever there were a surprise, this is it," said Ian Shepherdson, an economist at High Frequency Economics, a consulting firm.

"Economics," Joseph Salvo, director of the Planning Department's Population Division, said of the trend.

Economics aside, the Fed is not likely to risk its credibility by responding to political pressures, market participants said.

"We remain skeptical," said Ian Shepherdson, chief domestic economist at High Frequency Economics, a forecasting firm.

Space and Economics It was a classic electronics age move, said vice president of finance, Gerard A. Fragetti, who spearheaded the relocation.

"The data indicates growth of just 1 to 2 percent this year," said Carl Weinberg, chief economist at High Frequency Economics, a consulting firm.

"There's no doubt about it," said Charles Elbaum, the president of Publishing Economics, a media consulting company.