A majority of Americans continue to believe that the U.S. economy is in good shape

09/19/2007

WASHINGTON (CNN) – A majority of Americans continue to believe that the U.S. economy is in good shape, but that figure has dropped significantly since the start of the year, according to a new CNN/Opinion Research Poll released on Tuesday.

The new poll data was released on the same the Federal Reserve is expected to announce an interest rate cut to spur the economy. The poll shows that 54 percent of Americans believe the economy is in good shape, while 45 percent say it is not. That suggests only a slight change in the public's view of the economy since last month, but it does represent a 7-point drop since the spring and a 9-point drop since January.

The poll also suggests that Americans remain optimistic about the future of the economy with 62 percent saying that economic conditions will be good a year from now.

The poll, conducted between September 7-9, surveyed 1,017 Americans and carries a margin of error of plus or minus three percentage points.