Home |
Press
Room |
Press Release Archives | October 2004 Economic Index
For Immediate Release November 09, 2004
Contact: Cristi Allen
callen@decisionanalyst.com
Phone: 817-640-6166
Post-Election Boost Needed For Economy:
Decision Analyst’s Economic Index Down Sharply In October
Arlington, Texas - Confidence in the American economy is in dire need of a
post-election pick-me-up; that’s according to the October data from
Decision Analyst’s U.S. Economic Index. The overall Index fell for the
third straight month, declining to 108, the second-lowest level seen in the
past two years.
“Three months of decline for the Index points to a serious
issue of confidence,” said Jerry W. Thomas, President and CEO of Decision
Analyst, a marketing research and marketing consulting firm. “Far from
2004 being a breakout year, the Index might end the year lower than it was in
2003.”
The October Economic Index saw worrying declines in three key
categories: stock market confidence, price concerns and customer purchase
intent. The most worrying of these was future purchasing intent, which slumped
more than eight percent over the September value.
“Once again, the two most visible measures of confidence – the
stock markets and consumers – are taking the biggest hits,” Thomas
said. “All we can really do is hope that, with the U.S. political
landscape now in post-election calm, confidence returns before business
activity is too strongly hit.”
Methodology
The Decision Analyst Economic Index is based on a monthly Internet survey of
several thousand households balanced by gender, age, and geography. The survey
is conducted during the last 10 days of each month, and the Index is
immediately calculated from nine different economic measurements, using a
sophisticated econometric model. The result is a snapshot of current U.S.
economic activity, as seen through the eyes of representative consumers.
Decision Analyst also conducts concurrent economic surveys in Canada, the U.K.,
Germany, France, Italy, Netherlands, Mexico and Australia. Whenever the
Decision Analyst Economic Index is greater than 110, it tends to signal an
expanding economy. An Index value of 100 to 110 suggests a stagnant economy,
and below 100 generally indicates economic contraction. These guidelines vary
by country, however.
About Decision Analyst
Decision Analyst (www.decisionanalyst.com) is a leading marketing research and
marketing consulting firm specializing in advertising testing, strategy
research, new product development, and advanced modeling for marketing decision
optimization. The firm delivers competitive advantage to clients throughout the
world in the consumer packaged goods, telecommunications, retail, high
technology, medical and pharmaceutical, utilities, and e-commerce industries.
Decision Analyst operates American Consumer Opinion® Online, one of the
world’s largest Internet consumer opinion panels, with more than 3.5
million participants.
For additional information contact:
Cristi Allen
Publicity
Email: callen@decisionanalyst.com
Phone: 1.800.ANALYSIS (262.5974)
Address: 604 Avenue H East
Arlington, TX 76011
Visit our Logos
& Images page for photographs and logos,
if needed.
