The nation's economy was expanding at a robust annual rate of 4.3 percent immediately before the October stock market collapse, the Commerce Department said today.

Take the case of Norway, which increased its stock of physical capital by about 10 percent annually in the late 1980's, a seemingly robust rate.

Other data showed that the economy was continuing to grow at a robust rate.

"We are the only major economy that is growing at a robust rate."

In the fourth quarter of 1992, the economy grew by a fairly robust annual rate of 3.8 percent.

The International Monetary Fund forecasts that the global economy will grow at a robust rate of 4.3 percent in 2006.

The most robust rate of growth in giving last year was by community foundations, which are flourishing.

Finally came the May 2 report that the economy expanded at a unexpectedly robust rate of 2.8 percent during the first quarter.

But while growth in the April-June quarter came in at a very robust annual rate of 4.2 percent, most data since then have turned mixed.

Whether shoppers will continue to spend at a relatively robust rate is unclear.