WASHINGTON, May 12 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Most Americans paid little or no attention to the U.S. Treasury Department's recently completed "stress test" of the nation's 19 largest banks. An even greater majority said the results won't affect how they view their own bank. These findings come from data released today by KRC Research, an international market research firm.

According to the poll conducted May 8-10, 55% of the American public paid "little or no attention" to the stress test and "the process undertaken by the U.S. Treasury Department to determine the ability of these banks to weather potential future economic downturns."

A vast majority, 70% of those who paid at least a little attention to the stress tests, said the results of the stress test did not change their view of their bank, and 88% said they were "not that likely or not at all likely" to change banks as a result of the test. Also, a clear majority (57%) say the results did not change their opinion of banks in general.

"Americans may have some issues with the banking industry, but this survey shows conclusively that they have not lost confidence in their personal banks," said Peter Shafer, CEO of KRC Research. "While the financial community eagerly awaited the stress test results, everyone else continued business as usual, including trusting and using their local bank."

When it comes to hearing information about their banks, nearly twice as many Americans trust their own banks over the government as sources of information. The vast majority of Americans most trust information from their banks (58%) versus information from state regulators (14%) or the U.S. Treasury (13%).

In terms of the overall economy, while there was a split on whether "it is getting better" (39%) versus "the worst is yet to come" (35%), there was a consensus on worry about the job market with 82% of those who paid at least a little attention to the stress tests saying they believe unemployment will eventually rise above 10%.

In fact, a majority (52%) of those that paid at least a little attention to the stress test process think that conducting the tests was a good idea.

Study Methodology: KRC Research conducted 1000 telephone interviews with a random sample of American adults from May 8 to 10, 2009. The margin of error for the sample is +/-3.1 percentage points. Data were weighted to match U.S. Census results on age, gender, region, race/ethnicity, and education. For more information please contact Victoria Sneed, Executive Vice President, or Peter Shafer, CEO, KRC Research. 202-628-1118

                                  Full Results
    1. First, to make sure we are including a variety of people in our study, can you tell me your age?

    UNDER 45 (NET)                 54
    45+ (NET)                      46
    18 to 24                       13
    25 to 34                       19
    35 to 44                       22
    45 to 54                       18
    55 to 64                       12
    65 to 74                        8
    75 or older                     8

    2. Gender

    Male                           49
    Female                         51

    PERCEPTIONS
    3. Thinking about the current state of the economy, which is closer to your opinion? (ROTATE 1-3, 3-1)

    It is getting better                                        39
    It will not get any  better or worse in  the near future    21
    The worst is yet to come                                    35
    Don't know/refused (VOL)                                     5

    4. As you may know, on Thursday the federal government announced the results of its "stress test" - that is a test of the 19 largest banks who have borrowed federal TARP funds.  How much attention have you paid to the stress test stories? READ LIST

    A lot or some attention (NET)      45
    A little or no attention (NET)     55
    A lot of attention                 17
    Some attention                     28
    A little attention                 22
    No attention at all                33
    Don't know/refused (VOL)            *

    IF Q4=1-3 Ask 5-11
    IF Q4=4-9 Skip to Q12

    5. Thinking of the details of the stress test, as far as you know, was it a test of...? READ LIST, RANDOMIZE

                                               Paying at least a little
                                               attention to stress tests
                                                        (N=670)
    The ability of the bank to weather
      Future economic downturns                              39
    The current strength of bank                             27
    The ability of the bank to continue to
      lend money                                             23
    Don't know/refused (VOL)                                 11

    6. How did the results of the stress test change your view of banks in general? Do you...READ LIST, ROTATE 5-1, 1-5

                                                Paying at least a little
                                                attention to stress tests
                                                        (N=670)
    Better or somewhat better (NET)                          12
    Somewhat worse or much worse (NET)                       26
    View them much better                                     2
    View them somewhat better                                10
    View them the same                                       57
    View them somewhat worse                                 19
    View them much worse                                      8
    Don't know/refused (VOL)                                  5

    7. Thinking now of your bank in particular, how did the results of the stress test change your view of your bank?  If you use more than one bank, please think of the one you consider your primary bank. Do you...READ LIST, ROTATE 5-1, 1-5

                                                Paying at least a
                                               little attention to
                                                   stress tests
                                                     (N=670)
    Better or somewhat better (NET)                       15
    Somewhat worse or much worse (NET)                    10
    View it much better                                    5
    View it somewhat better                               10
    View it the same                                      70
    View it somewhat worse                                 7
    View it much worse                                     3
    I do not have a bank (VOL)                             3
    Don't know/refused (VOL)                               3

    8. Because of the results of the stress test, how likely are you to change your bank? Are you... READ LIST, ROTATE 1-4, 4-1

                                                Paying at least a
                                               little attention to
                                                   stress tests
                                                     (N=670)
    Very or somewhat likely (NET)                          9
    Not or not at all likely (NET)                        88
    Very likely                                            3
    Somewhat likely                                        6
    Not that likely                                       15
    Not at all likely                                     73
    I do not have a bank (VOL)                             2
    Don't know/refused (VOL)                               1

    9. Which of the following statements is closer to your own opinion? READ LIST, RANDOM

                                                      Paying at least a
                                                     little attention to
                                                         stress tests
                                                            (N=670)
    Conducting the stress test was a good idea so
     banks could be tested against the worst case
     scenario that could still possibly happen                   52
    Conducting the stress test was a bad idea as it
     wasted taxpayer money duplicating existing
     regulatory oversight and potentially scared
     customers using a worst case scenario that
     might never happen                                          40
    Neither (VOL)                                                 4
    Don't know/refused (VOL)                                      4

    10. How likely do you think it is that each of these will happen in the future - very likely, somewhat likely, not that likely, not at all likely? RANDOMIZE

    Paying at least a       Very or          Not or
    little attention        somewhat         not at
    to stress tests         likely         all likely
    (N=670)                 (NET)            (NET)
    Unemployment will
     be above 10%             82              17
    Home prices will
     fall another 25%         49              49
    Loan defaults will
     be worse than
     they were in the
     Great Depression         47              47

    Paying at least a     Very    Somewhat   Not         Not at     DK
    little attention      likely   likely    that     all likely   (vol.)
    to stress tests                         likely
    (N=670)
    Unemployment will
     be above 10%          38       43        11            6        2
    Home prices will
     fall another 25%      15       35        30           18        2
    Loan defaults will
     be worse than
     they were in the
     Great Depression      14       33        29           17        7

    11. The stress test was based on a future situation where home prices fall another 25%, unemployment is above 10% and loan defaults are worse than what happened during the Great Depression.  How likely do you think it is that all of those things will happen? READ LIST, ROTATE 4-1, 1-4


                                                Paying at least a
                                               little attention to
                                                   stress tests
                                                     (N=670)
    Very or somewhat likely (NET)                       51
    Not or not at all likely (NET)                      48
    Very likely                                         11
    Somewhat likely                                     39
    Not that likely                                     30
    Not at all likely                                   18
    Don't know/refused (VOL)                             1

    RESUME ASKING ALL

    12. How much confidence do you have in each of the following - a great deal, some, a little or no confidence at all? RANDOMIZE


                      Great deal       A little or
                       or some            no
                      confidence       confidence
                        (NET)           (NET)
    Regional
     and local
     banks               72              26
    Big
     national
     banks               40              56
    Wall Street
     investment
     banks               26              67

                   A great      Some       A little        No          DK
                   Deal of    confidence   confidence   confidence    (vol.)
                  confidence                             at all

    Regional
     and local
     banks           25          47           17           9            2
    Big
     national
     banks            7          33           28          28            4
    Wall Street
     investment
     banks            4          22           26          41            7

    13. When it comes to hearing things about your bank, who do you trust the most to give you the best information? READ LIST, RANDOMIZE

    Your bank                      58
    State bank regulators          14
    The U.S. Treasury              13
    The U.S. Congress               4
    I do not have a bank (VOL)      3
    Don't know/refused (VOL)        8

    DEMOGRAPHICS

    14. Finally, for statistical purposes only, please tell me which category applies to your total household income for last year.  Just stop me when I get to the right category.

    Under $50K (NET)                                   49
    $50K+ (NET)                                        44
    Under $20,000                                      17
    $20,000 but less than $30,000                      13
    $30,000 but less than $50,000                      19
    $50,000 but less than $75,000                      18
    $75,000 but less than $100,000                     13
    $100,000 but less than $150,000                     9
    More than $150,000                                  5
    Don't know/refused (VOL)                            7

    15. What is the last grade of school you completed?

    College Grad (NET)                                 24
    Not College Grad (NET)                             76
    Did not graduate high school                       20
    High school graduate                               27
    Some college (no degree)                           17
    Associate's degree (2-years)                       12
    Bachelor's degree (4-years)                        14
    Graduate or professional school                    10
    Don't know/refused (VOL)                            *

    16. How would you describe your main racial or ethnic heritage?

    White/Caucasian                                    69
    Latino/Hispanic                                    13
    Black/African American                             12
    American Indian/Native American                     2
    Asian/Pacific Islander                              1
    Other (RECORD)                                      1
    Don't know/refused (VOL)                            1

    17. REGION:

    South                                              36
    Midwest                                            23
    West                                               22
    Northeast                                          19

    18. Do you currently have a either a checking or savings account at a bank or credit union? Do you have accounts at a bank only, at a bank and credit union, at a credit union only, or at neither a bank or credit union?

    Bank only                                          53
    Bank and credit union                              27
    Credit union only                                  10
    Neither                                             8
    Don't know/refused (VOL)                            2

SOURCE KRC Research