The majority of American consumers still think the U.S. economy won't improve over the next three months, but those that think it will get better has increased slightly, according to the new RBC Consumer Outlook Index
Recession-themed newsprint cuttings
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Sixteen percent of those polled say the economy will get better in the next three months—up from 12 percent from last month's survey. Thirty-seven percent say it will stay the same—up from thirty-two percent.
And those saying it will get worse fell from forty-five percent to thirty eight. Nine percent said they didn't know, compared to eleven percent in the prior survey.
As for the country's path, sixty-three percent of those polled say the U.S. is headed in the wrong direction—down from sixty-seven percent from the prior survey.
Meanwhile, 37 percent polled say the country is headed in the right direction—up from last month's 33 percent.
Those believing they might lose their jobs or be laid off remains about the same. Thirty-one percent believe that could happen in the newer survey, while thirty-two thought so previously.
As for making major purchases like a home or a car, the numbers are nearly identical. Nine percent said they were more comfortable in the recent survey—compared to 10 percent last month. Fifty-one percent said they were not comfortable, while fifty percent said the same in the prior survey.
Thirty-five percent there was no change for them on making major purchases and four percent said they were still not sure. Those numbers were thirty-four and five in the prior survey.
The lastest poll was conducted online from September 30 to October 3, 2010.