Ipsos-Reid CASH Index: At 82.2 In September
Washington, D.C - The Ipsos-Reid CASH Index -- an index of Consumer Attitudes and Spending by Household -- stands at 82.2. This marks a 17.8 point drop since May, a low that has held steady over the summer months. Concern about the future of the economy has contributed most to the 17.8 point drop since January 2002 and a demographic analysis of opinions on the future of the economy reveals who is most likely to be bearish on the future of the economy.
These surveys were conducted by Ipsos-Reid US Public Affairs, the Washington, D.C.-based division of Ipsos, which is the world's third largest polling and market research organization, based in Paris. Ipsos-Reid US Public Affairs is a non-partisan, objective public affairs research organization made up of Democratic and Republican campaign and political polling veterans. The Ipsos-Reid/Cook Political Report poll and the Ipsos-Reid Consumer Attitudes and Spending by Household (CASH) Index poll are conducted the first and third week of every month, as part of Ipsos-Reid US Public Affairs weekly omnibus polling service. Interviews for the latest polling were conducted between September 3 to 5 and September 16 to 19, 2002. The margin of error for the questions on each rolling average of two consecutive surveys totaling 2000 adults is +/- 2.2%, nineteen times out of twenty.
CASH Index Score Changes since January 2002
The following chart depicts the net change in the CASH Index rating based on each of the economic factors used to generate the Index.
Ipsos-Reid CASH Index (Ipsos-Reid Index of Consumer Attitudes and Spending by Household) Index Score Changes Since January 2002 - National -
Concern about the Future of the Economy Largest Contributor to Downward Trend
Confidence in the future of the local economy is the factor that has contributed most to the drop between January 2002 and the most recent polling. In fact, 9.4 points of the total 17.8 CASH Index decrease are attributable to concern about local economies.
Americans who are statistically most likely to be bearish on the future of their local economy, predicting that it will get weaker over the next six months are listed below in the left hand column. The right hand column represents the other demographic groupings for comparison purposes.
Other interesting demographic findings related to the future of the economy include:
- Race is not a significant factor in determining negative attitudes toward the future of the economy (Whites, 14%; Blacks, 16%; Hispanics, 12%).
- Those living in the South and more generally urban and suburban areas of the Country are more optimistic about the future of their local economy than other groupings.
- For more information on this release, please contact:
Thomas Riehle
President
Ipsos-Reid US Public Affairs
202.463.7300
