Paper Market Forecast — Outlook Turns Bearish

For the printing industry specifically, the middle of 2003 marked the beginning of a recovery, the economist points out. By late 2003 and into 2004, printing sales finally started to turn up.

"Sales were up 2.8 percent, year-over-year, for the three month period (December through February). That was the strongest growth we've seen over any three consecutive months since 2000," Paparozzi notes. While the final numbers were still being tallied, he says early data indicated that the positive trend would continue through April.