For Immediate Release September 7, 2005
Contact: Cristi Allen
callen@decisionanalyst.com
Phone: 817-640-6166

Arlington, Texas (September 7, 2005) - After three relatively stable months, Decision Analyst's U.S. Economic Index dropped 3 points from 108 in July to 105 in August.

"Looking ahead, much will depend upon where oil prices go from here," said Jerry W. Thomas, President and CEO of Decision Analyst, a marketing research and marketing consulting firm, "and upon events as they unfold in New Orleans, Mississippi, and Alabama in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. It is quite possible that the shocks from the hurricane will cause even further declines in the U.S. Economic Index, since the August number of 105 was based on a time period just before the storm."

The August indicators for prices and stocks dived significantly, dropping 25 and 11 points, respectively. The only August indicators that showed any improvement were consumer purchase intent (up 6 points), business activities (up 4 points), and corporate hiring (up 3 points).

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 between the 20th and 27th of each month, and the Index is immediately calculated from 9 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 UK, Germany, France, Italy, Netherlands, Mexico, Australia, Brazil, Argentina, and India. 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 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

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