Even though the economy is weathering the storms, they certainly packed a punch. Uninsured losses to residential and business property reduced incomes by about $5 billion on an annualized basis in September and by about $240 billion, annualized, in August, the government estimated.

In September, consumers trimmed spending on big-ticket "durable" goods, such as cars. But they boosted spending on nondurables, such as food, clothes and gasoline, as well as on services, a broad category that also includes some energy-related things.

When consumer spending is adjusted for inflation, however, the spending picture looks softer. Overall spending dipped 0.4 percent in September, following a 1 percent drop in August.

Still, despite the sting of high energy bills, consumers spent briskly in the third quarter as a whole. That helped the economy grow by an energetic 3.8 percent annual rate, the government reported last week.

Economists, however, expect consumer spending probably will moderate in the final three months of this year as auto sales drop off with the waning of generous incentives and energy prices cause belt-tightening.

Chan and other analysts are hopeful that any moderation in consumer spending will be more than offset by stronger spending elsewhere, which should allow the economy to grow at a decent pace in the current October-to-December period.

Monday's report also showed that Americans' personal savings rate - savings as percentage of after-tax income - stayed in negative territory in September at minus 0.4 percent. In August, the savings rate was negative 1.8 percent.

Consumers' confidence in the economy has been sinking and they are growing anxious about President Bush's economic leadership. The public's perception has been shaped by high energy bills, the hurricanes and job losses wracked up from the disaster, analysts said.

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