Business

Voters Question Fed’s Independence

With a change of leadership pending, voters remain skeptical of the Federal Reserve’s independence and continue to think the nation’s central bank is overly influenced by the president and big bankers.

Forty-two percent (42%) of Likely U.S. Voters now have at least a somewhat favorable opinion of the Federal Reserve, while 48% view it unfavorably, according to the latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey. This includes 11% with a Very Favorable opinion and 19% with a Very Unfavorable one. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on September 18-19, 2013 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

58% Expect Higher Interest Rates Next Year

Most Americans continue to expect higher interest rates in a year’s time, while the number already paying higher rates remains at a high.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 58% of American Adults think interest rates will be higher in a year. That’s up two points from August and the highest level of pessimism since early 2011. From July 2009 to early May 2011, this finding generally remained in the mid-to-high 50s but stayed in the 40s over the past couple years. 

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The survey of 1,000 American Adults was conducted on September 15-16, 2013 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology. 

New High: 39% Say Now Is A Good Time To Sell A House

While only half of Americans continue to think purchasing a home is a family’s best investment, more than ever believe now is a good time to sell. 

Fifty percent (50%) of American Adults say buying a home is the best investment most families can make, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey.  Twenty-nine percent (29%) disagree, while 22% are not sure.  (To see survey question wording, click here.) 

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The survey of 1,000 American Adults was conducted on September 13-14, 2013 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology. 

36% Are Confident Fed Can Keep Inflation, Interest Rates Down

As the conversation heats up over who will be the next chairman of the Federal Reserve Board, confidence in the system’s ability to keep inflation under control remains low. 

Just 36% of American Adults are at least somewhat confident that the Federal Reserve Board can keep interest rates down and inflation under control, including six percent (6%) who are Very Confident. A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey shows that 58% lack that confidence, with 17% who are Not At All Confident. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The survey of 1,000 American Adults was conducted on September 15-16, 2013 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology. 

50% Lack Confidence in Stability of U.S. Banking Industry

Five years after the collapse of Lehman Brothers, half of Americans still lack confidence in the stability of the nation’s banking system. 

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 46% of American Adults say they are at least somewhat confident in the stability of the U.S. banking industry, but that includes only seven percent (7%) who are Very Confident.  Fifty percent (50%) lack confidence in the banking industry today, with 14% who are Not At All Confident.  (To see survey question wording, click here.) 

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The survey of 1,000 American Adults was conducted on September 15-16, 2013 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology. 

14% Likely to Miss or Be Late With A Mortgage Payment in Next Six Months

Most homeowners continue to say they have not missed a mortgage payment in the last six months, but their outlook for the next six months is less optimistic. A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that just five percent (5%) of American Homeowners admit to missing a mortgage payment or paying late over the last six months. Eighty-nine percent (89%) have not missed or been late on a payment, though this is the first time that number has dipped below 90% since March 2011.  (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The survey of 661 Homeowners was conducted on September 13-14, 2013 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 4 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology. 

45% Think Their Home Will Be Worth More In Five Years

Short-term confidence in the housing market continues to hover around its highest level in years, but homeowners remain more confident in long-term recovery.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 36% of Adult Homeowners say the value of their home will likely go up in a year.  That’s consistent with findings for the last several months and just a point lower than an all-time high of 37% reached in April and June. Short-term confidence hit a low of 11% in July 2011. Twenty percent (20%) now feel their home’s value will go down in the next 12 months, but just 12% felt that way in July.  A plurality (42%) expects their home's value to stay about the same.  (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The survey of 661 Homeowners was conducted on September 13-14, 2013 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 4 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology. 

48% Say Government Workers Earn More Than Those in Private Sector

Americans continue to believe that government workers have it better than those employed in the private sector, but those sentiments are a bit softer this month.

Forty-eight percent (48%) of American Adults believe the average government worker earns more annually than the average private sector worker, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey. Just 25% don’t believe that to be true, while 28% more are undecided. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The survey of 1,000 Adults was conducted on September 1-2, 2013 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error for the survey is +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

Congress Is Least Favorable Profession

Entrepreneurs and small business owners rate highest in the public's mind, while members of Congress are still at the other end of the scale. 

When Rasmussen Reports asks Americans their opinion of nine major professions, 54% express a Very Favorable opinion of people who start their own businesses, according to a new national telephone survey. Nearly as many (52%) say the same of small business owners. Just two percent (2%) view each of these professions Very Unfavorably. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The survey of 1,000 American Adults was conducted on September 3-4, 2013 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

40% Think Government Should Do Nothing for Long-Term Unemployed

More adults than ever think the government should step back from aiding those who can’t find work after an extended period of time. 

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that just 19% of American Adults think the government should help out the long-term unemployed in a big way, with nine percent (9%) who say their unemployment benefits should be extended indefinitely and 10% who say the government should just hire them. Twenty-five percent (25%) prefer the short-term government solution of paying for their retraining, the lowest level of support since October 2011. 

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The survey of 1,000 Adults was conducted on September 1-2, 2013 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

38% Oppose Raising Federal Debt Ceiling

Voters expect Congress and President Obama to reach an agreement to raise the government’s debt ceiling by October 1, but they’re evenly divided over whether that’s a good idea.

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 73% of Likely U.S. Voters think it’s at least somewhat likely that the debt ceiling will be raised before the federal government begins defaulting on its debts. This includes 44% who feel it’s Very Likely. Just 13% say it’s not very or Not At All Likely that the debt ceiling will be raised in time. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on September 2-3, 2013 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

25% Say U.S. Job Market Better Than Year Ago, 31% Say Worse

Americans are more pessimistic about the U.S. job market than they've been all year. 

Only 25% of American Adults now believe the job market is better than it was a year ago, down from 29% in late June but comparable to findings a year ago. A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 31% believe the job market is worse today than it was a year ago, a five-point jump from 26% in June and the highest finding since December. In August of last year, though, 44% thought the job market was worse. Forty percent (40%) now say the job market's about the same. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The surveys of 1,000 Adults each were conducted on September 1-2, 2013 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error for each survey is +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

44% Have Favorable View of Unions, 45% Unfavorable

Americans continue to have closely divided views of organized labor, but there's a much clearer difference of opinion between Republicans and Democrats.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 44% of American Adults have at least a somewhat favorable impression of labor unions, but that includes just 14% with a Very Favorable opinion.  Forty-five percent (45%) view labor unions unfavorably, with 24% who have a Very Unfavorable impression of them.  (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The national survey of 1,000 Adults was conducted on August 26-27, 2013 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

49% Say Buying A Home Is A Family’s Best Bet

Only half of Americans still see purchasing a house as a family’s best investment, but the belief that now is a good time to be a seller is up. 

Forty-nine percent (49%) of American Adults think buying a home is the best investment most families can make, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey.  Twenty-eight percent (28%) disagree, while nearly as many (23%) are not sure.  (To see survey question wording, click here.) 

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The survey of 1,000 American Adults was conducted on August 20-21, 2013 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

56% Expect Higher Interest Rates In a Year

Most Americans continue to expect higher interest rates next year as the number who say they are paying higher rates than last year is at a recent high.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 56% of American Adults think interest rates will be higher in a year, the highest level of pessimism in over two years. From July 2009 to early May 2011, this finding generally remained in the mid-to-high 50s but stayed in the 40s over the past couple years.

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Most Americans continue to expect higher interest rates next year as the number who say they are paying higher rates than last year is at a recent high.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 56% of American Adults think interest rates will be higher in a year, the highest level of pessimism in over two years. From July 2009 to early May 2011, this finding generally remained in the mid-to-high 50s but stayed in the 40s over the past couple years. 

Just five percent (5%) expect lower rates in a year, while one-in-four (26%) expects them to stay about the same, the lowest since February 2011.  (To see survey question wording, click here.)  

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The national survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on August 21-22, 2013 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

59% Say Their Home is Worth More Now Than When They Bought It

Most homeowners are confident that they know what their home is worth in today’s market, and more now say it’s worth more than when they bought it.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 79% of homeowners are at least somewhat confident that they know how much their home is worth, including 41% who are Very Confident. That’s up from 75% in June, the lowest level of confidence to date.  (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The survey of 719 U.S. Homeowners nationwide was conducted on August 20-21, 2013 by Rasmussen Reports.  The margin of sampling error is +/- 4 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Fieldwork for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

80% Are Paying More For Groceries Than a Year Ago

Most Americans are still paying more for groceries than they were last year and remain concerned about inflation.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey shows that 80% of American Adults now say they are paying more for groceries today than they were a year ago. Only 12% say they are paying less. These findings have changed little in recent years, though the number reporting higher grocery bills is at its lowest since July 2010. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The survey of 1,000 American Adults was conducted on August 18-19, 2013 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

51% Say Value Of Their Home Worth More Than They Still Owe

Just half of homeowners believe their home is worth more than what they still owe on it, but confidence in the short-term housing market remains higher than it has been in several years.

Fifty-one percent (51%) of U.S. homeowners say the value of their house is worth more than the amount they still owe on their mortgage, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey.  That finding is down from 55% a month ago. Thirty-six percent (36%) say they owe more than what their home is worth, while 13% are not sure.  (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The survey of 719 U.S. Homeowners nationwide was conducted on August 20-21, 2013 by Rasmussen Reports.  The margin of sampling error is +/- 4 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Fieldwork for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

44% Confident In Stability of U.S. Banking System

Fewer Americans are confident in the banking industry this month, and more are worried about losing their money due to bank failure.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 44% of American Adults are at least somewhat confident in the stability of the U.S. banking industry today, including just eight percent (8%) who are Very Confident. Fifty-one percent (51%) are not confident in the stability of the industry, including 13% who are Not At All Confident. (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The survey of 1,000 American Adults was conducted on August 18-19, 2013 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.

71% Say Government Helps Politically Connected Businesses, Hurts Those That Are Not

Most voters do not believe there is a level playing field when it comes to businesses that have ties to the political elite. Seventy-one percent (71%) of Likely U.S. Voters say the federal government helps businesses that are politically connected and hurts those that are not, according to a new Rasmussen Reports telephone survey.  Just 13% think the government treats all businesses the same, while 16% are not sure.  (To see survey question wording, click here.)

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The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on August 13-14, 2013 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.