Britons more optimistic about the economy
But nearly two thirds still think that the country will do badly over the next year.
London: Britons are sounding more optimistic about the economy than at any time for the past 18 months, according to a Populus poll, reports Times online.
Populus interviewed a random sample of 1,504 adults aged over 18 by telephone between November 6 and 8. Interviews were conducted across the country and the results have been weighted to be representative of all adults.
The findings could not have come at a more appropriate time with the holiday season round the corner as October high street sales for seven years have fuelled hopes that a pre-Christmas surge in spending could confirm the country’s emergence from recession.
Sales rose at an annual rate of 3.8 per cent last month, up from 2.8 per cent in September. Overall sales values rose at their fastest rate since April.
Amid other signs of increasing confidence, the pound rose to a three-month high against the dollar and the FTSE 100 closed up 92.5 points, or 1.8 per cent, at a two-week high.
The pole shows that the number of voters who believe that the country as a whole will do well over the next year has risen from a quarter to a third since July and is now the highest since April 2008. But nearly two thirds still think that the country will do badly over the next year.
