April 28, 2003
Contact: Ted Apostol,
President or Kathy Deboer, Vice
President
WestGroup Research
(602) 707-0050 Office Phone
(602) 707-0055 Office Fax
ted@westgroupresearch.com
or
kathy@westgroupresearch.com
Economic Pessimism Resurfaces as War Continues
PHOENIX - After a brief period of economic optimism during the first
week of the war in Iraq, belief that the recession will not end this year
climbed back up to 62% signaling a return to skepticism. Those are some
of the findings of an April, just-released telephone survey of 412 Arizona
adults by WestGroup Research of Phoenix. The overall study has a margin
of error at a 95% confidence level of + 5%.
Women are currently more pessimistic than men - 68% of women respondents
predict the recession will not end this year, while 56% of men said this.
Additionally, the study found that it is likely that skeptical attitudes
will change after the war is over. The majority of respondents (61%) believe
the U.S. economy will improve.
Which of the following best represents your opinion about the U.S.
Economy?
| Opinion About Economy |
January 2003
|
February 2003
|
March 2003
|
April 2003
|
|
n=
|
886
|
811
|
376
|
412
|
| The economy has not been in a recession |
11%
|
7%
|
11%
|
8%
|
| Recession is over |
5%
|
3%
|
2%
|
3%
|
| Recession will end in a few months |
25%
|
18%
|
28%
|
22%
|
| Recession will not end this year |
50%
|
64%
|
48%
|
62%
|
| No Opinion |
9%
|
8%
|
11%
|
6%
|
|
U.S. Economy
|
|
April 2003
|
| Will improve |
65%
|
61%
|
| Will stay the same |
17%
|
23%
|
| Will decline |
13%
|
11%
|
| No opinion |
5%
|
5%
|
