THE TIMES POLL : A Bright Outlook

Consumers’ confidence in the U.S. economy has improved greatly during the past year, according to a recent Los Angeles Times Poll. But Americans remain wary about whether the economy and employment will continue to improve in the near term. Nearly half the poll’s respondents believe the economy is no longer in recession. But more than half also said they don’t expect any gains in the economy’s performance or in job growth in the coming three months.

THE NATIONAL OUTLOOK

* Do you think we are in a recession? If so, is it mild, moderate or serious?

January 1995

No recession: 49% Mild recession: 15% Moderate recession: 18% Serious recession: 11% Don’t know: 7%

*

January 1994

No recession: 37% Mild recession: 18% Moderate recession: 20% Serious recession: 20% Don’t know: 5%

*

January 1993

No recession: 25% Mild recession: 17% Moderate recession: 27% Serious recession: 27% Don’t know: 4%

*

February, 1992

No recession: 8% Mild recession: 14% Moderate recession: 34% Serious recession: 41% Don’t know: 3%

THE ECONOMIC OUTLOOK

* How do you expect the nation’s economy to be performing three months from now?

January, 1995

Better: 23% Worse: 17% Same: 58%

January, 1994

Better: 26% Worse: 12% Same: 58%

January, 1993

Better: 25% Worse: 11% Same: 61%

February, 1992

Better: 21% Worse: 24% Same: 53%

THE JOB OUTLOOK

* In your area, what will the unemployment situation be like in three months?

January, 1995

Better: 26% Worse: 13% Same: 59%

January, 1994

Better: 28% Worse: 18% Same: 52%

January, 1993

Better: 28% Worse: 15% Same: 55%

February, 1992

Better: 20% Worse: 32% Same: 45%

- Note: Numbers do not add up to 100 because “don’t know” responses are not shown.

How the Poll Was Done: The Times Economic Index is based on a set of questions asked regularly by the Times Poll to measure American’s feelings about the strength of the economy. The questions include measures designed to gauge the current situation plus predictor questions that seek the public’s assessment of conditions three months into the future. The latest survey was conducted Jan. 25-26 among 1,226 adults nationwide. The margin of sampling error is plus or minus three percentage points.