But economists said that despite the year-to-year increase, the July numbers reflected troubles within the economy.

Over all, the industry sold 1.12 million vehicles in April, a year-to-year increase of 8.2 percent.

She said she expected the season to end with a year-to-year increase of 5.5 percent.

The average year-to-year increase has been about 7.5 percent, and there were only five years in which it was less than 4 percent.

In 1990 the number of murders nationwide jumped 9 percent over 1989, the largest year-to-year increase since 1979.

The year-to-year increase marked the 14th monthly rise in a row.

In recent years, the average year-to-year increase has been only 2 percent.

It also marked the third consecutive year-to-year increase since exports plunged to $26.3 billion in 1986.

The year-to-year increases, however, have flattened out at just over 4 percent in the last few months.

That is the largest year-to-year increase ever for education.