All of these improvements are tentative, and come after a relentless decline that knocked more than half the value off houses in the worst-hit cities.
The economy responded with a relentless decline.
Large and more relentless still.
But it has been more than a generation since the firm's dominance went unchallenged and, despite billions of dollars invested in new factories and vehicles, it has suffered a relentless decline in market share (see chart below).
But it has been more than a generation since GM's dominance went unchallenged and, despite billions of dollars invested in new factories and vehicles, it has suffered a relentless decline in market share (see chart).
The World Bank sees a relentless decline in various indicators of American governance.
The first has been immense advances in computer power and a relentless decline in its price.
Newspapers have tried many things to stave off a seemingly relentless decline in readers.
If Mr. Bernanke had given in to that kind of pressure, manufacturing would have continued its relentless decline.
But there is a simpler objection: the picture of relentless decline is wrong, or, to be accurate, half wrong.
