Economic Outlook Improves Economic conditions a year from now will be
Optimism about the national economy, which sagged in 2011, has rebounded in the first two months of this year. Currently, 44% say they expect economic conditions to be better a year from now, up from 34% last month and 28% in December.
Second, economic optimism has proven fragile in the past. From October 2008 through April 2010, 40% or more said they expected economic conditions to get better in the next year. But by last summer, the percentage expecting things to improve had fallen to around 30%.
Economic Outlook Improves  | Economic conditions a year from now will be  | 60  | 50  | 50  | 44 Better  | 42 Same  | 40  | 30  | 28  | 20  | 10 Worse  | 10  | Q  | 2008  | 2009  | 2010 2011  | PEW RESEARCH CENTER Feb. 8-12, 2012, 