In Midwest, leave it to the men to spend

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NEW YORK, June 3 (UPI) -- A recent survey found more men in the Midwest indicated a willingness to spend than women, although pessimism was prevalent throughout the region.

Throughout the Midwest, 61 percent of respondents to a Hart Research Associates survey sponsored by Citi indicated they believed the economic downturn that began in 2007 has yet to hit bottom.

In the March 15-25 telephone survey, 38 percent of men and 28 percent of women in the nation's heartland indicated it was a good or excellent time to increase spending. Among men, 27 percent and 14 percent of women indicated they would spend more on meals in restaurants or entertainment in the next six months.

In addition, 52 percent of men and 39 percent of women polled indicated they expected to go on vacation in the next six months.

Although a majority of both genders indicated the economy had yet to bottom out, 58 percent indicated they believed local business conditions were on the upswing, while 65 percent said they believed their own finances would improve in the next 12 months.

Hart Research said the survey of 2,002 respondents included 467 interviews conducted in the Midwest and had a margin of error of 2.5 percentage points.