• by Jack Loechner , Staff Writer @mp_research, September 2, 2003

Consumers Continue To Be More Optimistic About Their Economic Future

The Ipsos National Consumer Attitudes and Spending by Household (CASH) Index continued to hold steady in early August, continuing a 2-month stabilizing trend. However, consumers are more optimistic than pessimistic on the state of the economy and their personal finances six months from now. The recent release includes the response to questions regarding prospects for personal finances and the local economy six months from now.

Overall responses to these questions have stayed relatively stable over the past two months; however, says the release, some interesting variability does exist among various subgroups.

In the latest survey, groups more likely to say their local economy would be stronger (total) six months from now include:

Individuals age 65+ (40%)

Men age 45+ (40%)

Hispanics (40%)

Republicans (50%)

Individuals who approve of the overall job Bush has done as President (47%)

Individuals with a household income of $75K+ (43%)

Individuals who feel the country is heading in the right direction (49%)

Groups more likely to say their local economy would be weaker (total) six months from now include:

Blacks (26%)

Individuals with a high school education or less (18%)

Democrats (18%)

Independents (22%)

Individuals who disapprove of the overall job Bush has done as President (21%)

Individuals who feel the country is off on the wrong track (20%)

Groups more likely to predict that their personal finances would be stronger (total) six months from now include:

Individuals age 18-29 (54%)

Individuals age 30-39 (51%)

Blacks (53%)

Hispanics (57%)

Individuals who approve of Bush's handling of the economy (45%)

Residents of the Pacific region (CA, OR, WA) (45%)

Unmarried men (47%)

Individuals who feel the country is heading in the right direction (45%)

Groups more likely to predict that their personal finances would be weaker (total) six months from now include:

Individuals age 65-74 (12%)

Individuals age 75+ (10%)

Individuals with a high school education or less (10%)

Residents of the East South Central region (AL, KY, MS, TN) (12%)

Independents (12%)

Independent women (14%)

Individuals who disapprove of Bush's handling of the economy (12%)

Individuals who feel the country is off on the wrong track (10%)

To view the release online, with charts, go here.