Life evaluation up along with economic confidence, standard of living
February 9, 2012
Americans rated their lives better in January than in any month since March of last year. Americans' life ratings have been steadily recovering since October, when they fell to their lowest level in more than two years.
Faith in banks and financial institutions remains low
February 2, 2012
Europeans' and Americans' confidence in their financial institutions has followed a similar trajectory throughout the global economic crisis, suggesting a strong link between the two struggling economies.
Unemployment much lower among residents with tertiary education than those without
December 23, 2011
High rates of unemployment and underemployment are among the biggest problems facing southern Europe's troubled economies. Among southern Europeans with college degrees, however, employment figures are as strong as they are in more economically stable countries farther north.
Greeks, Spaniards, Italians say their governments make it hard to start and manage businesses
December 16, 2011
Residents in some of the EU's most debt-laden countries are also among the most likely to say their government makes it hard to start and manage a business. The climate for entrepreneurs is most inhospitable in Greece, where more than 8 in 10 residents see their government as an obstacle.
Standard of living perceived as "getting worse" across much of EU
December 14, 2011
More Europeans are "suffering" than "thriving" in several countries hard-hit by the financial crisis. More than one in five residents rate their lives poorly enough to be considered suffering in Bulgaria, Greece, Hungary, Latvia, Romania, and Portugal.
Greeks are by far the most negative; pessimism soars Portugal and Italy
December 1, 2011
Views about local economic situations are deteriorating in several EU countries hard-hit by the European debt crisis, including Italy and Portugal. Those in Greece, Portugal, and Ireland are among the most negative, while views in Finland, Germany, Luxembourg are the most positive.
Overall access to basic needs also declines to a new low
November 10, 2011
Fewer Americans say they had enough money to buy the food they or their families needed in October than at any point since November 2008, continuing a decline that began in April 2011. Americans' overall access to basic needs also fell to a record low.
Fewer than one in five Greeks have confidence in their national government, financial institutions
November 4, 2011
Greeks' confidence in their country's national government hit an all-time low of 18% earlier this year, and their faith in their financial institutions has fallen sharply since 2005. Neither trend bodes well for Greece's economic restructuring and recovery.
But China trails U.S. in formal full-time employment
October 21, 2011
Chinese are more positive than Americans are about the job market where they live and about the economic conditions in their communities. But the U.S. still outpaces China on the percentage of those who have formal full-time jobs -- a vital element of sustained economic improvement.
More Americans struggling to access healthcare, food, and shelter
October 13, 2011
Fewer Americans had access to basic life necessities such as healthcare, food, and shelter in September. The nation's Basic Access Index score fell to 81.4 last month -- on par with the 81.5 recorded in February and March 2009 during the recession.
