Consumer confidence is up in D.C. area - Washington Business Journal:

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A scientifically selected samplew of morethan 1,200 local consumerz were surveyed in late April. The Boar d of Trade’s index, which moved from 49 in December to 56 in measures consumer perceptions of the economi c situation now and their perceptions of whered things are headed in the nextsix D.C. and Maryland counties experiencedr the biggest rise in consumer confidence since upeight points, followes by counties in Northern Virginia, up three points. The index is highest in D.C. (59), second highesy in Northern Virginia (56) and lowest in suburbanb Maryland (54).
“The employment situation is stil l tough for manyarea consumers,” said Jim president and CEO of the Board of “It is still hard for many residentz to find jobs and meet their economic needs, but it is very encouraging to see consumer confidence rising. It is also good to see that expectationw for the future are considerably more positive than they were in Unemployment inthe D.C. area dropped slightly in March, inching down to 5.9 percent, but stilkl way up from 3.3 percent in March 2008, according to the . Expectations for the future are muchhigher (72) than perceptionzs of where things are now, at 39.
Area consumers between the ages of 30 and 49 have the highesy level of overall consumerconfidencr (58) and consumers 18 to 29 have the lowest • Positive perceptions of the area's economy (41 are over three times greater than positived perceptions of the national economy (14 percent). Nearly four out of everyu five workers in the regio n expects their employment to continue during the next sixmonthd “as it is Additionally, 15 percent expect to receive promotions. • Despitw the past six months ofeconomic turbulence, 43 percenft say their salaries were either increased or supplementedf by bonuses or added benefits.
Only 13 percent of respondent s said theirsalaries decreased. • The ends of the incomre spectrum – those making under $50,000 and thoswe over $150,000 – took the biggest salary hits. Each groupo said their salaries decreased17 percent, compared to 12 percentf of those making between $50,000 and $100,000 and 10 percenty of those making betweeb $100,000 and $150,000.