MassINC Trend Monitor Q2-2013

Independence. Integrity. Impact.
TREND MONITOR Q2 2013 MAY 6, 2013 The MassINC Polling Group Trend Monitor is published once a quarter to provide a snapshot of how key metrics are changing over time. The figures contained in the Trend Monitor are based on polls1 conducted by The MassINC Polling Group. These figures all represent general population polls, rather than voter polls.
More see Massachusetts headed in the right direction

A majority (54 percent) of Bay State residents see the state as headed in the right direction, while 32 percent see it as off on the wrong track. This 22-point net positive outlook is the strongest quarterly reading since we started measuring in September 2010, edging October 2012s 21-point net positive finding.
Right Direction
47 41 48 42 47 41 49 44 55 45 44 34 39 36 39 32 50
Wrong Track
54 56 49 54
35
The dip in this number observed Sep-10 Jan-11 Apr-11 Jul-11 Oct-11 Jan-12 Apr-12 Jul-12 Oct-12 Jan-13 Apr-13 in our first quarter poll tracks with a similar trend in consumer confidence, discussed further below.
Favorables State Police soar, Patrick sees new high in favorables

In the wake of the Boston Marathon bombings and closely watched search for the suspects, 61 percent hold a favorable view of Governor Deval Patrick, the highest quarterly reading since we started measuring in September 2010. The Massachusetts State Police also won near unanimous praise, with 86 percent favorable ratings compared to just 4 percent unfavorable. Other favorability figures from past Trend Monitors can be found in Appendix B.
April 2013 Elizabeth Warren Mass. State Legislature Mass. State Police Deval Patrick 50/29 34/30 86/4 61/23 Jan. 2013 N/A N/A N/A N/A Oct. 2012 48/38 N/A N/A N/A July 2012 43/24 N/A N/A N/A April 2012 34/23 N/A N/A 51/37 Jan. 2012 33/18 N/A N/A N/A Oct. 2011 32/14 N/A N/A 51/36 July 2011 N/A 41/37 N/A 47/40 April 2011 N/A 38/38 N/A 54/36 Jan. 2011 N/A 41/37 N/A 57/33 Sept. 2010 N/A N/A N/A 42/45
Consumer Sentiment rebounds after weak January

After a sharp downturn in MA Index of Consumer Sentiment January, consumer confidence rebounded, with the MA Index of 86.1 85.7 Consumer Sentiment nearing the 79.2 78.4 record high attained in October 73.3 68.0 75.5 2012 (see chart). The burst of 71.2 optimism is likely reflective of 59.6 59.4 strong first quarter economic performance in Massachusetts. The Massachusetts economy grew faster in the first quarter Jan-11 Apr-11 Jul-11 Oct-11 Jan-12 Apr-12 Jul-12 Oct-12 Jan-13 Apr-13 than the U.S. economy, according to preliminary reports, which likely partially accounts for the strong reading. More people are now optimistic than pessimistic on each of the 5 component questions of the index. Full trend data on the index and component questions are shown in Appendix A of this report. 11 Beacon St Ste 500 Boston, MA 02108 / massincpolling.com
The quick rebound also suggests that Januarys down reading was in part due to the President and Congresss failure to reach a deal to prevent the so-called sequester. As the slow motion budget drama continues, consumer sentiment has fallen during period when brinksmanship is particular intense. National consumer sentiment polling indicates a major source of consumer anxiety is questions about the federal governments collective ability to address the nations economic and budgetary challenges.
Net positive/negative outlook: Republicans & Democrats
Business outlook next 5 years
-34%
17%
Business outlook next 12 months
-7%
44%
Personal financial situation, better off year from now
-8%
22%
Personal financial situation better off now
-12%
5%
Republican
Democrat
The strong partisan divide in consumer confidence continues, with Bay State Democrats far more optimistic than Republicans. Overall, Democrats have a net positive outlook on each of the component questions (see chart), whereas Republicans have a net negative outlook on four of the five. Independents had a net positive outlook but by a much narrower margin than among Democrats. The one area of partisan agreement was when residents were asked whether now was a good or bad time to make major purchases. More Democrats (47/29) and Republicans (44/30) thought it was a good time to make such purchases than a bad time, and Independents (55/29) were most optimistic of all.
Questions or comments? Phone: (617) 224-1628 Email: info@massincpolling.com @MassINCPolling

About the Polls - These results are based on questions from The MassINC Polling Group statewide polls of Massachusetts residents. Live telephone interviews are conducted via both landline and cell phone using conventional random digit dialing (RDD) sampling methods. Interviews are conducted in both English and Spanish. Question wording and additional methodological details are available upon request, but are excluded from this document for simplicity and length.
1
About the Index of Consumer Sentiment - The national Index of Consumer Sentiment is a consumer confidence index published monthly by the University of Michigan and Thomson Reuters. The ICS is made up two component indices, the Index of Current Economic Conditions, which measures present sentiments, and the Index of Consumer Expectations, which represents future prospects. The consumer confidence measures were devised in the late 1940s by George Katona at the University of Michigan. The measures have now developed into an ongoing, nationally representative survey based on telephonic household interviews. The Index of Consumer Sentiment (ICS) is developed from these interviews. The Index of Consumer Expectations (a sub-index of ICS) is included in the Leading Indicator Composite Index published by the U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of Economic Analysis.
2
The MassINC Polling Group
Appendix A Consumer Sentiment Historical Data

MA Index of Consumer Sentiment 85.7 71.2 86.1 75.5 79.2 78.4 59.6 59.4 68.0 73.3 MA Index of Current Economic Conditions 86.7 74.0 82.5 76.9 78.4 80.2 64.2 64.5 71.0 72.8 MA Index of Consumer Expectations 85.2 69.4 88.4 74.6 79.8 77.2 56.5 56.1 66.1 73.7
Apr 2013 Jan 2013 Oct 2012 Jul 2012 Apr 2012 Jan 2012 Oct 2011 Jul 2011 Apr 2011 Jan 2011
The Massachusetts Index of Consumer Sentiment measures views of both current and future economic conditions. The ICS is made up two component indices, the Index of Current Economic Conditions, which measures present sentiments, and the Index of Consumer Expectations, which represents future prospects. The ICS is scaled such that the 1966 national ICS represents 100.
The questions shown below are the components of the Index of Consumer Sentiment.
We are interested in how people are getting along financially these days. Would you say that you (and your family living there) are better off or worse off financially than you were a year ago? Apr 2013 Jan 2013 Oct 2012 Jul 2012 Apr 2012 Jan 2012 Oct 2011 Jul 2011 Apr 2011 Jan 2011 Better off 37 29 38 30 30 32 25 25 29 27 The same 30 24 26 30 27 29 27 24 24 27 Worse off 31 46 34 38 41 38 47 49 45 45
Now looking ahead--do you think that a year from now you (and your family living there) will be better off financially, or worse off, or just about the same as now? Apr 2013 Jan 2013 Oct 2012 Jul 2012 Apr 2012 Jan 2012 Oct 2011 Jul 2011 Apr 2011 Jan 2011 Better off 29 24 36 30 33 31 21 19 25 28 The same 55 48 43 49 45 50 54 54 52 51 Worse off 11 24 8 13 14 13 18 23 20 17
Now turning to business conditions in the country as a whole--do you think that during the next twelve months we'll have good times financially or bad times? Mixed, or both good and Good times bad times Bad times Apr 2013 51 11 31 Jan 2013 Oct 2012 Jul 2012 Apr 2012 Jan 2012 Oct 2011 Jul 2011 Apr 2011 Jan 2011 37 46 33 41 40 22 25 35 43 9 11 14 14 10 8 6 7 10 47 30 43 37 44 62 64 53 43
Looking ahead, which would you say is more likely--that in the country as a whole we'll have continuous good times during the next five years or so, or that we will have periods of widespread unemployment or depression? Mixed, or both good and Widespread unemployment or Good times bad times depression Apr 2013 39 15 37 Jan 2013 Oct 2012 Jul 2012 Apr 2012 Jan 2012 Oct 2011 Jul 2011 Apr 2011 Jan 2011 38 43 34 38 40 22 27 32 35 5 11 13 10 7 9 5 8 10 51 32 42 41 45 62 62 55 52
About the big things people buy for their homes--such as furniture, a refrigerator, stove, television, and things like that. Generally speaking, do you think now is a good or bad time for people to buy major household items? Mixed, or both good and Good time to buy bad time Bad time to buy Apr 2013 48 9 31 Jan 2013 Oct 2012 Jul 2012 Apr 2012 Jan 2012 Oct 2011 Jul 2011 Apr 2011 Jan 2011 45 44 41 47 49 35 38 41 45 6 10 12 10 5 7 6 7 9 38 35 35 34 37 48 49 43 40
*Note: Totals for this battery of questions do not add up to 100% due to Dont know and Refused responses.
Appendix B Favorables: People and Groups, All Periods

The table below contains results of people and groups included in past MPG Trend Monitors, where we asked about the person or group at least twice.
Favorable / Unfavorable Ratios
April 2013 Elizabeth Warren Mass. State Legislature Mass. State Police Deval Patrick Scott Brown U.S. Congress Barack Obama Mitt Romney John Kerry The Tea Party 50/29 34/30 86/4 61/23 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A Jan. 2013 N/A N/A N/A N/A 48/32 24/49 N/A N/A N/A N/A Oct. 2012 48/38 N/A N/A N/A 47/39 N/A 64/34 36/56 50/33 N/A July 2012 43/24 N/A N/A N/A 48/30 29/55 63/30 35/52 N/A N/A April 2012 34/23 N/A N/A 51/37 44/31 28/59 64/33 N/A 50/34 N/A Jan. 2012 33/18 N/A N/A N/A 50/28 N/A N/A 42/45 N/A N/A Oct. 2011 32/14 N/A N/A 51/36 47/30 N/A N/A N/A 53/29 28/42 July 2011 N/A 41/37 N/A 47/40 48/30 27/63 57/41 N/A N/A 26/45 April 2011 N/A 38/38 N/A 54/36 50/28 N/A N/A 42/40 56/28 29/47 Jan. 2011 N/A 41/37 N/A 57/33 51/25 46/41 N/A N/A N/A 30/46 Sept. 2010 N/A N/A N/A 42/45 57/24 N/A 58/38 N/A 59/31 37/35
*Note: Totals do not add up to 100% due to Dont know and Refused responses. People and groups included in the favorables section change each quarter.

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Independence. Integrity. Impact.

More see Massachusetts headed in the right direction

Favorables State Police soar, Patrick sees new high in favorables

Consumer Sentiment rebounds after weak January

Business outlook next 12 months

Personal financial situation, better off year from now

Personal financial situation better off now

Questions or comments? Phone: (617) 224-1628 Email: info@massincpolling.com @MassINCPolling

The MassINC Polling Group

Appendix A Consumer Sentiment Historical Data

The MassINC Polling Group

The MassINC Polling Group

Appendix B Favorables: People and Groups, All Periods

The MassINC Polling Group

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