Ipsos CASH Index Gains For Record Third Time In A Row

Interviews for the latest polling were conducted between April 1 to 3 and April 15 to 17, 2003. 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. Washington, D.C. -- Eight weeks of improving consumer attitudes have wiped out eight months of decline in the Ipsos National CASH Index, (measuring Consumer Attitudes and Spending by Household) which now stands at 88.8. The National CASH Index is up more than 27 points since early March, 2003, when the CASH Index was at its lowest point since the Index was inaugurated in January, 2002. The current CASH Index witnessed the third consecutive increase in 2003, something that had not previously occurred since the Index was inaugurated in January 2002.

View Larger Version The current gain in the CASH Index is due almost solely to the continuing improvement in attitudes regarding the future of local economies. None of the 10 individual measures in the index are higher than they were in January 2002, but big declines seen on a few factors have been all but wiped out. Currently, local economic expectations stand at -4.4 (up 8.5 points since early April, 2003). Additionally, in the current survey, previously observed partisan gaps in attitudes are narrowing, or have disappeared, as even Democrats are now bullish about their local economy. How the Ipsos CASH Index Scores Changed since January 2002

The following chart depicts the net change in the most recent monthly CASH Index rating since January 2002 based on each of the factors used to generate the Index.

View Larger Version Ipsos CASH Index Surveys of consumers are conducted by Ipsos-Public Affairs, the Washington, D.C.-based division of Ipsos, which is the world's second largest polling and market research organization. The Ipsos Consumer Attitudes and Spending by Household (CASH) Index polls are conducted the first and third week of every month, as part of Ipsos-Public Affairs weekly omnibus polling service. The Ipsos CASH Index, started in January 2002, is a bimonthly national survey of consumer attitudes on the current and future state of the local economy, personal financial situation and spending, saving and confidence to invest.

For more information about the Ipsos CASH Index or to receive this report on the first and third week of every month, please e-mail [email protected], or contact Ursula Davis at 202-463-7300. For more information on this release, please contact: Thomas Riehle President, Ipsos-Public Affairs Washington, D.C. 202.463.7300