Americans sour over economy: poll

Americans are in a sour mood over the sagging US economy, worried about their jobs and overwhelmingly of the opinion the country is on the wrong track, according to a Reuters/Zogby poll released Thursday.

The Reuters/Zogby Index, which measures the mood of the country, fell sharply to 87.7, down from 99.3 in February, putting it at the lowest level since the index was first measured last July.

President George W Bush's approval rating fell to 32 per cent, down from 34 per cent last month, while positive ratings for the US Congress were at 15.5 per cent, slightly below an anaemic 17 per cent last month.

Concerns about jobs, personal finances, safety from attack and the direction of the country were on the increase after easing slightly last month, proof that Americans were in foul spirits.

Only 19 per cent of Americans believe the country is headed in the right direction. And only 40 per cent felt very secure about their jobs, down from 50 per cent last month.

Pollster John Zogby said it was the first time all 10 of the measures used in the poll to take the temperature of the country were down. "The index is not simply down, it's down dramatically," he said. "It's the largest move we've seen since we inaugurated this."

Americans over the past month have watched a topsy-turvy stock market pounded by a mortgage crisis. Recession fears abound and Democrats are locked in a protracted battle over who will be the party's presidential nominee.

A separate Reuters/Zogby poll found that nearly three in four Americans thought the US economy was in a recession, and saw little hope for a swift improvement in the housing market.

The Reuters/Zogby Index is released on the third Wednesday of each month. The survey of 1,004 likely voters was conducted March 13-14.

The Index combines responses to 10 questions on Americans' views about their leaders, the direction of the country and their future. Index polling began in July, and that month's results provide the benchmark score of 100.

A score above 100 indicates the public mood has improved since July. A score below 100, like the one this month, shows the mood has soured since July.