See Search Box
lower down this column for searches of Finfacts news pages. Where there may be
the odd special character missing from an older page, it's a problem that
developed when Interactive Tools upgraded to a new content management system.
Welcome
Finfacts is Ireland's leading business information site and
you are in its business news section.
We
provide access to live business television and business
related videos from: Bloomberg TV; The Wall Street Journal;
CNBC and the Financial Times. Click image:
President Barack Obama arrives to speak to servicemen and women at Naval Air Station Jacksonville, in Jacksonville, Florida October 26, 2009.
Americans are growing increasingly gloomy about the economy after a mild upswing of attitudes in September. However, Republicans haven't been able to profit politically from the economic gloom, according to a new Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll.
On Tuesday, the closely watched US consumer confidence index fell for the second straight month as continuing bleak job fears dampen optimism.
Employment is always a lagging indicator in a recovery cycle.
The WSJ/NCB survey found a country in a decidedly negative mood, nearly a year after the election of President Barack Obama. For the first time during the Obama presidency, a majority of Americans sees the country as being on the wrong track.
Fifty-eight percent of those polled say the economic slide still has a way to go, up from 52% in September and back to the level of pessimism expressed in July. Only 29% said the economy had "pretty much hit bottom," down from 35% last month.
However, the Republicans who have adopted a partisan stance against all major initiatives proposed by President Obama, are not benefiting so far.
The survey shows that disapproval of the Republican Party actually has ticked upward, along with the public's general pessimism. Asked which political party should control Congress after next year's midterm elections, Democrats now hold a clear edge over the GOP, 46% to 38%, a month after the Republicans were nearly as popular. In September, the Democratic edge was 43% to 40%.
The survey of 1,009 Americans was conducted from Oct. 22-25.
The Obama health-care plan is opposed by a majority -- 42% say it is a bad idea, against 38% who say it is a good idea.
A government-run insurance plan that competes with private insurance plans -- the so-called public option -- is now supported by 48%, compared with 42% who oppose it.
63% of respondents said the government has either done the right amount of intervention or needs to do more.
