61% of Brits and 54% of Americans think the economy will get worse

Large majorities of the public in Great Britain (61%), Italy (57%), France (55%), the United States (54%), and Spain (54%) believe the economy in their respective countries will be worse in 2008 than it was in 2007. Germany is the country where attitudes are slightly different as just one-third (33%) believe their economy will be worse while just under half (47%) believe it will be neither better nor worse. Pluralities of adults in Italy (44%), Great Britain (43%) and the US (41%) believe their personal finances will neither improve nor worsen in 2008. Germans are slightly more likely to believe their personal finances will neither improve nor worsen than they are to believe their finances will get worse in 2008 (38% compared to 36%), while Spaniards are equally divided (38%). France is the only country where a plurality believes their personal finances will worsen (42%), Harris Poll says.