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For Immediate Release April 3, 2007
Contact: Cristi Allen
callen@decisionanalyst.com
Phone: 817-640-6166

Arlington, Texas (April 3, 2007)— There has been slow erosion in the Decision Analyst U.S. Economic Index over the past five months. It dropped from 114 in October 2006 to 109 in March 2007. The decline in the Economic Index indicates that consumers are becoming more pessimistic and suggests that the pace of economic growth will be slower in coming months.

"Consumers' waning optimism is increasing the risks of recession, or a period of very slow economic growth," said Jerry W. Thomas, President and CEO of Decision Analyst, the marketing research and marketing consulting firm that conducts the survey and derives the Economic Index. "Consumers fear higher energy costs, higher rates of interest, stock market instability, and tighter credit conditions in coming months, and these fears are depressing the Economic Index."

Among the components that make up the Economic Index, the indicators that appear to be driving the Economic Index's decline are confidence in "stocks and mutual funds" (down 21 points), optimism about "prices paid for goods and services" (down 8 points), and "consumer purchase intent" (down 7 points). The only areas to show positive numbers are "corporate hiring" (up 6 points) and "job availability" (up 1 point).

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, Chile, China, Colombia, France, Germany, India, Italy, Mexico, Netherlands, Peru, Russian Federation, 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 slow-growth 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-based consumer-opinion panels, with more than seven million members.

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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