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                CERTIFICATION PURSUANT TO 18 U.S.C SECTION 1350,
                             AS ADOPTED PURSUANT TO
                  SECTION 906 OF THE SARBANES-OXLEY ACT OF 2002



TIMOTHY D. ARMOUR,  President and PEO, and DAVID A. PRITCHETT,  Treasurer of The
New  Economy  Fund (the  "Registrant"),  each  certify to the best of his or her
knowledge that:

(2)  The Registrant's periodic report on Form N-CSR for the period ended May 31,
     2003 (the "Form N-CSR") fully  complies  with the  requirements  of Section
     13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended; and

(3)  The  information  contained  in the  Form  N-CSR  fairly  presents,  in all
     material respects, the financial condition and results of operations of the
     Registrant.


Principal Executive Officer         Principal Financial Officer

THE NEW ECONOMY FUND                THE NEW ECONOMY FUND

/s/ Timothy D. Armour               /s/ David A. Pritchett
Timothy D. Armour, President        David A. Pritchett, Treasurer


Date:    August 8, 2003             Date: August 8, 2003


A signed  original  of this  written  statement  required  by Section 906 of the
Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 has been provided to THE NEW ECONOMY FUND and will be
retained by THE NEW ECONOMY FUND and  furnished to the  Securities  and Exchange
Commission (the "Commission") or its staff upon request.

This  certification  is being furnished to the Commission  solely pursuant to 18
U.S.C.  Section 1350 and is not being filed as part of the Form N-CSR filed with
the Commission.