AP to Offer Quarterly 'Economy Survey' of Trends, Policy

By: The Associated Press is launching the AP Economy Survey, a quarterly view of financial trends and policy affecting consumers around the world that will draw on the forecasts of as many as 50 leading economists.

The first survey findings will be reported in all formats on April 12.

The AP is surveying the economists -- from banks, industry groups and academia -- for their opinions about key indicators such as GDP, employment, inflation and interest rates. The AP business news staff will use these findings, along with other relevant reporting, to offer a general prognosis on the economy for the quarter and the year ahead and drill into areas of special importance, including the housing market, consumer spending and food prices.

For example, the inaugural AP Economy Survey story on April 12 will reveal widespread concern about the recovery. From employment to the housing market, the economists anticipate significant stresses on the economy for 2010 and 2011, and they expect this to influence federal economic policy.

"The AP Economy Survey was created to help our customers and readers make better business and personal financial decisions by keeping them abreast of the forecasts of the nation's top economists," said AP Business Editor Hal Ritter.
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Data broken out from the survey will be posted online and presented in interactive charts and graphs. AP expects to conduct additional surveys as news dictates.

The economists participating in the AP Economy Survey are as follows:

Paul Ashworth, senior U.S. economist
Capital Economics Ltd.

Nariman Behravesh, chief economist
IHS Global Insight

Scott Brown, senior vice president and chief economist
Raymond James & Associates Inc.

Bill Cheney, chief economist
John Hancock Financial

Lou Crandall, economist
Wrightson ICAP LLC

Michael Darda, chief economist
MKM Partners LLC

Richard DeKaser, president
Woodley Park Research

Rajeev Dhawan, director, economic forecasting center
Georgia State University, J. Mack Robinson College of Business

Robert DiClemente, senior U.S. economist
Citigroup Inc.

Doug Duncan, vice president and chief economist
Fannie Mae

William Dunkelberg, chief economist
National Federation of Independent Business

Michael Englund, principal director and chief economist
Action Economics LLC

Brian Fabbri, chief economist for North America
BNP Paribas

Stephen Gallagher, chief economist
Societe Generale

Lyle E. Gramley, senior economic advisor
Potomac Research Group

Ethan Harris, head of North American economics and coordinator of global economics
Bank of America Merrill Lynch

Maury Harris, economist
UBS

Stuart G. Hoffman, senior vice president and chief economist
The PNC Financial Services Group

David Huether, chief economist
National Association of Manufacturers

Dana Johnson, senior vice president and chief economist
Comerica Inc.

Kurt Karl, chief economist, North America
Swiss Re

Bruce Kasman, chief economist and managing director of global research
JP Morgan Chase & Co.

Dean Maki, chief U.S. economist
Barclays Capital

Ken Mayland, president
ClearView Economics LLC

Jonathan McClelland, director
M. J. Beck Consulting LLC

Greg Miller, chief economist
SunTrust Banks Inc.

Joel Naroff, president and founder
Naroff Economic Advisors Inc.

Albert W. Niemi, dean and Tolleson Chair in Business Leadership
Southern Methodist University, Cox School of Business

Michael P. Niemira, staff vice president, chief economist and director of research
International Council of Shopping Centers

Frank Nothaft, chief economist
Freddie Mac

Joel Prakken, chairman
Macroeconomic Advisers LLC

Maria Fiorini Ramirez , president and CEO
Maria Fiorini Ramirez Inc.

Martin Regalia, senior vice president for economic and tax policy and chief economist
U.S. Chamber of Commerce

Chris Rupkey, chief financial economist
The Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ Ltd.

John Ryding, chief economist and founding partner
RDQ Economics

David Shulman, senior economist
UCLA, Anderson School of Management

John Silvia, chief economist
Wells Fargo Advisors

Allen Sinai, chief global economist, strategist and president
Decision Economics Inc.

James F. Smith, chief economist
Parsec Financial Management Inc.

Sean Snaith, director of the Institute of Economic Competitiveness
University of Central Florida, College of Business Administration

Sung Won Sohn, Martin V. Smith professor of economics and finance
California State University, Channel Islands

Susan Sterne, president and chief economist
Economic Analysis Associates Inc.

Phillip Swagel, visiting professor
Georgetown University, McDonough School of Business

Diane Swonk, chief economist
Mesirow Financial Holdings Inc.

Jeff Thredgold, president
Thredgold Economic Associates

Bart van Ark, senior vice president and chief economist
The Conference Board Inc.

Willy Wolfe, senior vice president, deputy treasurer
Union Bank

David Wyss, chief economist
Standard & Poor's Financial Services LLC

Edward Yardeni, president and chief investment strategist
Yardeni Research Inc.

Mark Zandi, chief economist and chief market strategist
Moody's Economy.com