For Immediate Release April 4, 2006
Contact: Cristi Allen
callen@decisionanalyst.com
Phone: 817-640-6166

Arlington, Texas—The Decision Analyst Economic Index remains unchanged from February to March at an index of 111.

“Consumers appear to have a wait-and-see attitude on the economy, possibly because the economic signals are mixed. The new home market has slowed and the Federal Reserve Open Market Committee voted to raise interest rates,” said Jerry W. Thomas, President and CEO of Decision Analyst, a marketing research and marketing consulting firm. “On the positive side, most analysts feel that economic growth has picked up in the first quarter of 2006, after an anemic fourth quarter of 2005.”

Regarding components that make up the Economic Index, the largest increase in the March indicators was “business activities” (up 18 points). This increase was offset by declines in “consumer purchase intent” for large-ticket durable goods (down 9 points) and “price expectations” (down 13 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 typically conducted between the 20th and 27th of each month. The Index is 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 Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, Colombia, France, Germany, India, Italy, Mexico, Netherlands, Peru, United Kingdom, and Venezuela. 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 six 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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