Wall Street Journal (12/17/14) Janet Hook; Rebecca Ballhaus

The nation is becoming more optimistic about the economy, according to a poll of 1,000 adults by the Wall Street Journal and NBC News. Declining gasoline prices are having a positive effect on many families, approximately half of Americans say, and expectations that the economy will improve are higher than at any point since mid-2013. The poll was conducted at a time when consumer confidence, employment trends, and other economic indicators have been improving. Thirty-one percent of respondents expect the economy to improve in the coming year, while 17% expect it to worsen. That share of pessimism was down from 24% in October and stands at the lowest level in two years. Fifty-one percent say the economy will stay the same.