But the earlier increase was more than offset by an inflation rate of 13.5 percent.

The increase in gain, however, can be offset by the exclusion available under the new law.

"Any increase is more than offset by the savings they've achieved."

Any increase in spending must be offset by a decrease somewhere else.

But these increases were offset by a 6.8 percent decline in natural gas prices.

But the increases were largely offset by soft sales in other lines, he said.

Some acknowledged that any increase might be offset by layoffs.

It is too early to say whether these increases in process costs will be offset by other efficiency gains.

Construction jobs also fell, with summer losses now having offset increases during the spring.

The increase was offset by a cut in the growth figures for the second quarter, from 0.1 per cent to zero.