Despite political upheaval in Washington, D.C. and a decline in stock prices for the second week in a row, the economy showed strength last week.

The Standard & Poor's 500 stock index, a barometer of America's promise, suffered its second consecutive weekly decline, closing at 2425.55. But the decline for the week was less than 1% and Friday's close was only about 2.5% off the all-time high close of 2480.91, reached on August 7, and it came as economic data continued to suggest the 96-month old expansion and bull market was continuing to gain strength.