WASHINGTON, Jan. 9 (UPI) -- Americans believe the U.S. economy will begin its recovery in the next six months, a survey released Wednesday said.
The Ipsos-Reid "Consumer Economics National Poll" reported that 42 percent of those polled said they expect their local economies to be stronger six months from now; 18 percent of those surveyed said their local economic conditions were strong.
Twenty-eight percent of respondents said their current personal financial situation was strong; 46 percent said they expected their personal finances to be stronger six months from now.
The survey also indicated that Americans were concerned about job security.
Of those polled, 47 percent said they were currently less confident about job security now than they were six months ago. Moreover, 44 percent said they or someone they know well lost their job in the past six months as a result of economic conditions.
But when asked to look ahead at the next six months, 22 percent said economic conditions would very likely cause them or someone they know well to lose their job.
The Ipsos poll said consumers remained cautious about purchasing. Nearly half of all consumers (48 percent), said they were less comfortable making a major purchase (such as a car or house) than they were six months ago; 31 percent said they were more comfortable.
A similar pattern was evident when consumers were asked about making other purchases. Forty-one percent said they were less comfortable now making other household purchases; 36 percent said they were now more comfortable than they were six months, the poll said.
Finally, consumer confidence was split on being able to invest in the future. Some 40 percent said they were more confident than they were six months ago in their ability to save money for their retirement or their children's education, while an almost equal number (41 percent) said they were less confident.
Results for the national consumer poll were based on a survey with a representative sample of 1,000 adults nationwide conducted Jan. 4 to 6 by the Washington office of Ipsos-Reid, a large polling and market research organization.
