A Slower But Steady Economy

The economy will begin 2009 mired in a long and deep recession, before a tepid start toward recovery in the second half. That's the view of the 45 economists in BusinessWeek's annual economic outlook survey. The most bullish projections on economic growth are at the top, sorted by fourth-quarter to fourth-quarter growth in real GDP. You can resort any column to get a new ranking of the bulls and bears in any category. Also, as noted in the table, check out the top five forecasters for 2008.


Click column heading once to reorder from highest to lowest. Click twice to reorder from lowest to highest.
Name
Firm
2008
IV
I
II
III
IV
Real
GDP
Operating
Profits
CPI
Inflation
Core Cpi
Inflation
Federal
Funds
Rate
10-Yr
Treasury
Yields
Jobless
Rate
Housing
Starts**
2009 Q4
Home Prices***
% Change
Q4 '08-Q4 '09
WILLIAM DUNKELBERGNat'l Federation of Independent Bus.-5.0 -2.0 N/A.0 2.0 2.5 2.5 5.0 2.6 2.2 1.50 3.60 7.8 0.81 -20.0 
STEPHEN GALLAGHERSociete Generale-4.3 -1.0 1.8 2.3 2.8 1.5 5.0 N/A.5 1.5 0.25 3.50 7.7 1.00 -5.5 
RICHARD DEKASERNational City Corp.-4.7 -1.3 1.5 3.2 2.2 1.4 4.0 1.3 1.8 1.00 4.10 7.9 1.02 -4.2 
JOHN POPEInvestment Economics-N/A.5 N/A.5 1.9 1.5 1.5 1.4 1.4 3.1 2.4 1.75 4.30 7.0 N/A-4.4 
GENE HUANGFedEx-2.6 -N/A.5 1.6 2.2 1.9 1.3 5.0 2.3 2.6 0.50 4.50 8.0 0.89 -6.0 
JAMES PAULSENWells Capital Mgmt.-4.5 -1.0 2.0 3.0 4.0 1.2 8.0 2.8 2.0 2.00 5.00 7.2 0.95 5.0 
BILL CHENEYMFC Global Investment Mgmt.-4.0 -2.0 N/A.5 2.0 3.0 N/A.8 1.0 1.2 1.6 1.00 4.50 7.3 0.95 -7.0 
MICHAEL ENGLUNDAction Economics-5.0 -3.0 1.0 2.0 2.5 N/A.6 6.4 1.2 1.9 2.00 4.20 8.5 0.82 -9.6 
RICHARD YAMARONEArgus Research-2.8 -1.8 N/A.7 N/A.9 1.8 N/A.6 3.8 3.3 2.7 1.75 3.50 7.4 0.65 -4.0 
ALAN LEVENSONT. Rowe Price Associates-4.8 -1.3 N/A.5 1.4 1.4 N/A.5 -15.5 1.8 1.7 N/AN/A8.5 0.77 N/A
MARTIN REGALIAU.S. Chamber of Commerce-3.8 -1.5 -N/A.1 1.7 1.9 N/A.5 N/A1.6 2.0 1.00 4.50 7.5 0.95 N/A.0 
KEITH HEMBRE (2008)FAF Advisors-4.0 -2.0 N/A.0 1.0 2.0 N/A.5 -9.7 1.0 1.1 0.50 2.75 8.0 0.65 -10.0 
DAVID RESLERNomura Securities-4.8 -2.2 -N/A.2 1.6 1.8 N/A.2 N/AN/A.8 1.5 0.00 4.00 8.6 0.74 -15.0 
J. PRAKKEN & C. VARVARESMacroeconomic Advisers-5.6 -4.2 N/A.0 2.0 2.6 N/A.1 -5.9 N/A.2 1.2 0.00 2.58 8.5 1.09 N/A.0 
MAURY HARRISUBS-4.5 -3.0 N/A.0 1.5 2.0 N/A.1 N/A2.0 1.3 0.75 4.00 8.3 0.81 -8.0 
BRUCE KASMANJPMorgan Chase-4.0 -3.0 -N/A.5 1.5 2.5 N/A.1 -1.7 N/A.7 1.5 0.00 2.40 8.2 0.80 -8.0 
DIANE SWONKMesirow Financial-6.2 -2.8 -N/A.6 1.7 2.2 N/A.1 3.0 N/A.3 1.3 0.00 2.55 8.6 0.84 -10.0 
JOHN SILVIAWachovia-5.8 -1.6 -1.3 1.3 1.5 N/A.0 -14.0 1.9 2.0 0.25 3.10 8.3 0.66 -6.0 
DAVID WYSSStandard & Poor's-4.6 -2.6 -N/A.9 1.5 2.4 N/A.0 7.8 -N/A.2 1.0 0.25 3.80 8.4 0.96 -10.0 
KEN MAYLANDClearView Economics-4.9 -3.7 -N/A.5 1.7 2.5 N/A.0 -6.0 1.8 1.6 1.25 3.85 8.0 0.95 -9.0 
ROBERT SHROUDSDuPont-6.0 -3.0 -1.5 1.5 3.0 N/A.0 N/AN/A.0 1.0 0.50 4.00 7.9 0.90 -5.0 
KEVIN LOGAN (2008)Dresdner Kleinwort-4.4 -2.4 N/A.0 N/A.4 1.9 N/A.0 -5.1 N/A.9 1.5 1.00 3.00 7.9 0.84 -6.5 
STUART HOFFMANPNC Financial Services Group-5.0 -3.0 -N/A.5 1.0 2.0 -N/A.1 -3.0 2.0 1.9 0.50 3.50 8.5 0.90 -9.0 
ROBERT SCHNORBUSJ.D. Power-4.2 -2.2 N/A.0 N/A.5 1.0 -N/A.2 -3.0 1.6 1.8 0.50 3.50 8.2 0.82 -5.0 
MICHAEL NIEMIRAIntl. Council of Shopping Centers-4.0 -2.5 -1.5 2.0 1.0 -N/A.3 -N/A.1 2.1 2.3 2.00 3.80 7.8 0.93 -10.0 
MICKEY LEVYBank of America-4.2 -3.8 -1.2 1.3 2.5 -N/A.3 3.6 1.0 1.8 1.00 4.00 8.1 0.94 -15.0 
KURT KARLSwiss Re-4.2 -2.2 -1.3 N/A.3 1.9 -N/A.3 3.2 -N/A.7 1.0 0.50 3.00 8.4 0.90 N/A.0 
ROBERT DICLEMENTICitigroup-4.2 -3.2 -N/A.9 N/A.6 1.5 -N/A.5 2.5 N/A.8 1.3 0.00 3.00 8.4 0.74 -15.2 
NARIMAN BEHRAVESHISH Global Insight-5.0 -3.8 -N/A.7 N/A.7 1.4 -N/A.6 5.4 -N/A.3 N/A.9 0.50 3.59 8.6 0.74 N/A.0 
DANA JOHNSONComerica Bank-6.0 -3.5 -2.0 -1.0 2.0 -N/A.6 -1.0 N/A.4 1.1 0.25 3.10 9.0 0.90 -2.4 
LYNN MICHAELIS (2008)Weyerhaeuser-5.0 -2.8 -N/A.5 N/A.0 1.2 -N/A.6 N/A2.0 2.2 1.25 4.20 8.4 0.80 -5.0 
BART VAN ARKConference Board-4.4 -3.8 -1.4 1.2 1.2 -N/A.7 5.7 -N/A.2 1.0 0.50 4.10 8.5 0.67 N/A.0 
MICHAEL MORANDaiwa Securities America-4.0 -2.9 -1.8 N/A.5 1.5 -N/A.7 -1.0 1.3 1.3 0.75 4.25 8.0 0.62 N/A.0 
MARK ZANDIMoody's Economy.com-4.7 -2.5 -1.3 -N/A.2 1.5 -N/A.7 -4.0 1.1 1.4 0.50 4.10 8.7 0.79 N/A.0 
NICHOLAS PERNAPerna Associates-4.4 -4.1 -2.5 N/A.9 2.7 -N/A.8 -N/A.7 2.5 2.0 1.50 3.98 8.5 1.15 -15.0 
ALLEN SINAIDecision Economics-5.3 -4.1 -1.7 1.0 1.7 -N/A.8 -15.4 N/A.5 1.3 0.25 3.48 8.2 0.75 -24.5 
ED YARDENIYardeni Research-5.0 -3.0 -2.0 5.0 2.5 -1.0 10.0 N/A.0 1.5 1.00 2.00 7.0 1.40 -10.0 
IAN SHEPHERDSON (2008)High Frequency Economics-6.0 -3.0 -3.0 1.0 1.0 -1.0 -25.0 N/A.1 1.3 0.25 2.00 8.5 0.70 -10.0 
TOM HIGGINSPayden & Rygel Investment Counsel-4.0 -3.0 -2.0 -2.0 1.0 -1.5 5.0 1.0 1.5 0.25 3.25 8.1 0.55 -15.0 
PAUL ASHWORTHCapital Economics-5.0 -3.0 -2.0 -N/A.5 -N/A.2 -1.5 -2.0 N/A.8 1.5 0.50 2.00 8.5 0.70 -10.0 
WILLIAM HUMMERWayne Hummer Investments-3.0 -1.3 N/A.4 1.3 2.4 -1.6 -3.5 1.3 2.2 1.25 4.20 7.3 0.76 -6.3 
JOSHUA SHAPIROMaria Fiorini Ramirez-2.9 -1.8 -1.4 -1.6 -1.7 -1.6 -11.0 1.0 1.5 0.50 4.25 8.2 0.70 -15.0 
D. MAKI & E. HARRISBarclay's Capital-4.5 -4.5 -1.0 2.0 3.0 -1.7 4.5 N/A1.7 0.25 4.50 8.2 0.71 -15.2 
DONALD STRASZHEIMStraszheim Global Advisors-5.0 -5.0 -2.5 -1.0 1.0 -2.0 N/A.0 2.5 1.0 1.00 4.50 9.8 0.60 -18.0 
DAVID ROSENBERG (TOP 2008)Merrill Lynch-4.5 -4.2 -3.3 -N/A.8 N/A.0 -2.1 -8.5 N/A.7 1.2 0.50 2.80 8.3 0.62 -10.0 

Note:Economists' forecasts as of Dec. 10, 2008
TOP 2008 = TOP FORECASTER FROM 2008
2008 = ONE OF TOP FIVE FORECASTERS FROM 2008

* Before-Tax Corporate Profits with IVA and CCA (NIPA BASIS)
** Millions of Starts at Annualized Rate
*** Standard&Poor's/Case Shiller Home Price Index