2005 COMMERCIAL PRINTING outlook -- A Win-Lose Proposition

"It does take away some uncertainty," agrees Ronnie H. Davis, Ph.D., and chief economist at Printing Industries of America (PIA) in Alexandria, VA. President Bush's re-election "will have a positive impact on the economy in general and, hopefully, on advertising, which will help printing," he adds.

The PIA economist expects 2005 to ring in an economic growth rate of around 3.5 percent, with low inflation and low interest rates. As a result, the unemployment rate should continue to trend downward, he says.