HOT MARKETS AT MID-YEAR — ECONOMIC DEFICIT DISORDER

Finally, at #24, is Religion/Charity ($358B; with $3.0B to print, +4 percent). Revenues are down 2 percent after two successive years of disaster-related situational giving and huge, one-time donations by philanthropists. Worst off and, therefore, the best prospects for direct mail and intercept programs are environment (-36 percent), society benefit (-28 percent), arts and culture (-21 percent) and human service/education (-16 percent). Religion (-6 percent) continues as the most blessed, collecting nearly 60 percent of all giving.