Economic Optimism Index (EOI): State of the Economy 1997 - present

Public Sector

Do you think that the general economic condition of the country will improve, stay the same or get worse over the next 12 months?

The author(s)
  • Dr. Roger Mortimore Public Affairs
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Q Do you think that the general economic condition of the country will improve, stay the same or get worse over the next 12 months?

* Hover over each point to see the date of fieldwork and percentage. Click on any of the codes in the legend, to add/ remove that data from the chart.

1979 - April 1997

1997 Improve Stay the same Get worse Don't know EOI
  % % % % %
General Election 1 May 1997
9-12 May 1997 40 35 12 13 +28
20-23 June 1997 38 36 19 7 +19
25-28 July 1997 35 32 25 8 +10
21-25 August 1997 29 32 31 7 -2
26-29 September 1997 36 37 19 7 +17
24-27 October 1997 31 39 24 7 +7
21-24 November 1997 30 40 24 6 +6
12-15 December 1997 26 36 30 8 -4

 

1998 Improve Stay the same Get worse Don't know EOI
  % % % % %
23-26 January 1998 27 38 28 7 -1
20-23 February 1998 29 38 27 6 +2
20-23 March 1998 30 36 26 8 +4
24-27 April 1998 28 38 27 7 +1
21-24 May 1998 26 39 25 10 +1
25-30 June 1998 19 36 38 7 -19
17-21 July 1998 19 33 40 8 -21
21-24 August 1998 18 30 45 6 -27
18-21 September 1998 13 30 50 7 -37
23-26 October 1998 11 25 57 7 -46
20-23 November 1998 16 31 47 6 -31
11-14 December 1998 16 30 46 8 -30

 

 

1999 Improve Stay the same Get worse Don't know EOI
  % % % % %
22-25 January 1999 18 35 41 6 -23
19-22 February 1999 21 36 36 7 -15
19-22 March 1999 26 37 32 5 -6
23-26 April 1999 23 41 31 5 -8
21-24 May 1999 25 43 26 6 -1
18-21 June 1999 23 43 27 7 -4
23-26 July 1999 26 45 23 6 +3
20-23 August 1999 19 43 31 7 -12
24-27 September 1999 29 40 24 7 +5
22-25 October 1999 21 44 28 7 -7
19-22 November 1999 28 42 24 6 +4
10-14 December 1999 25 45 24 6 +1

 

 

2000 Improve Stay the same Get worse Don't know EOI
  % % % % %
20-25 January 2000 27 41 25 6 +2
17-22 February 2000 22 41 32 5 -10
23-28 March 2000 25 40 30 5 -5
13-18 April 2000 20 43 33 4 -13
18-23 May 2000 22 38 33 7 -11
22-27 June 2000 18 42 32 8 -14
20-24 July 2000 23 40 33 4 -10
17-21 August 2000 20 46 27 7 -7
21-26 September 2000 19 41 36 5 -17
19-23 October 2000 18 42 31 9 -13
23-28 November 2000 22 43 28 7 -6
7-12 December 2000 22 44 28 6 -6

 

 

2001 Improve Stay the same Get worse Don't know EOI
  % % % % %
18-22 January 2001 20 45 29 6 -9
15-20 February 2001 23 46 25 6 -2
22-27 March 2001 15 35 44 6 -29
19-24 April 2001 18 37 40 5 -22
24-30 May 2001 20 47 24 9 -4
General Election June 7 2001
21-26 June 2001 21 47 25 7 -4
19-23 July 2001 18 45 33 5 -15
23-28 August 2001 12 39 43 6 -31
20-25 September 2001 8 22 64 6 -56
18-22 October 2001 11 30 54 5 -43
22-27 November 2001 14 37 43 5 -29
There was no MORI Political Monitor in December

 

 

2002 Improve Stay the same Get worse Don't know EOI
  % % % % %
24-28 January 2002 17 42 37 6 -20
21-26 February 2002 18 38 39 4 -21
21-26 March 2002 18 38 39 5 -21
18-22 April 2002 24 41 29 6 -5
23-28 May 2002 15 44 37 4 -22
20-24 June 2002 15 47 32 6 -17
18-22 July 2002 15 38 42 5 -27
22-28 August 2002 15 42 38 6 -23
19-24 September 2002 14 42 37 6 -23
17-21 October 2002 15 40 39 5 -23
14-19 November 2002 11 41 43 5 -32
12-17 December 2002 10 36 50 4 -40

 

 

2003 Improve Stay the same Get worse Don't know EOI
  % % % % %
23-27 January 2003 8 30 54 7 -46
20-25 February 2003 8 28 58 6 -50
20-24 March 2003 12 29 51 8 -39
24-28 April 2003 19 38 37 7 -18
22-28 May 2003 14 42 38 6 -24
19-24 June 2003 17 40 37 6 -20
17-22 July 2003 15 42 37 6 -22
28 August - 2 September 2003 13 40 39 8 -26
11-16 September 2003 14 43 37 7 -23
23-28 October 2003 13 43 38 6 -25
20-25 November 2003 14 39 41 6 -27
11-17 December 2003 16 42 36 6 -20

 

 

2004 Improve Stay the same Get worse Don't know EOI
  % % % % %
15-20 January 2004 16 41 37 6 -21
12-16 February 2004 17 42 35 6 -18
11-16 March 2004 16 40 38 6 -22
15-19 April 2004 15 47 33 5 -18
27 May - 1 June 2004 14 41 39 6 -25
24-29 June 2004 13 46 35 7 -22
22-27 July 2004 17 44 33 6 -16
12-16 August 2004 13 43 40 5 -27
10-14 September 2004 14 46 36 5 -22
21-27 October 2004 12 45 38 5 -26
4-8 November 2004 14 44 37 4 -23
2-6 December 2004 13 47 35 5 -22

 

 

2005 Improve Stay the same Get worse Don't know EOI
  % % % % %
20-24 January 2005 12 53 31 5 -19
17-21 February 2005 17 50 28 5 -11
17-22 March 2005 15 48 30 6 -15
21-25 April 2005 17 46 28 10 -11
General election 5 May 2005
19-23 May 2005 16 43 36 5 -20
16-20 June 2005 16 48 30 6 -14
14-18 July 2005 14 47 32 6 -18
11-15 August 2005 12 45 37 6 -25
22-26 September 2005 9 43 44 4 -35
20-25 October 2005 9 44 41 6 -32
17-22 November 2005 12 44 39 5 -27

 

 

2006 Improve Stay the same Get worse Don't know EOI
  % % % % %
19-23 January 2006 13 46 36 5 -23
16-20 February 2006 11 45 39 5 -28
16-21 March 2006 13 44 39 4 -26
27 April - 2 May 2006 11 42 41 6 -30
25-30 May 2006 11 43 43 3 -32
22-26 June 2006 10 50 35 5 -25
20-24 July 2006 10 42 43 5 -33
31 August - 6 September 2006 11 41 42 6 -31
12-16 October 2006 12 47 35 6 -23
9-14 November 2006 10 41 43 6 -33
7-12 December 2006 12 44 39 5 -27

 

 

2007 Improve Stay the same Get worse Don't know EOI
  % % % % %
19-29 January 2007 8 37 47 7 -39
19-25 April 2007 10 43 41 6 -31
17-22 May 2007 14 48 34 5 -20
14-20 June 2007 14 45 34 8 -20
12-17 July 2007 16 41 37 6 -21
23-29 August 2007 12 43 37 8 -25
20-26 September 2007 12 35 45 7 -33
18-23 October 2007 11 36 48 5 -39
29 November - 7 December 2007 9 31 55 5 -46

 

 

2008 Improve Stay the same Get worse Don't know EOI
  % % % % %
17-23 January 2008 9 27 60 5 -51
21-26 February 2008 7 33 54 5 -47
13-18 March 2008 7 22 67 4 -60
17-22 April 2008 9 19 66 5 -57
15-20 May 2008 7 22 67 3 -60
13-15 June 2008 12 16 69 2 -57
18-20 July 2008 11 12 75 2 -64
15-17 August 2008 13 14 72 1 -59
12-14 September 2008 12 16 70 1 -58
17-19 October 2008 24 16 59 1 -35
14-16 November 2008 17 13 68 2 -51
12-14 December 2008 18 14 66 3 -48

 

 

2009 Improve Stay the same Get worse Don't know EOI
  % % % % %
16-18 January 2009 20 18 60 2 -40
13-15 February 2009 20 17 60 2 -40
13-15 March 2009 23 23 52 1 -29
17-19 April 2009 35 25 37 3 -2
29-31 May 2009 33 29 35 3 -2
19-21 June 2009 41 27 30 2 +11
17-19 July 2009 34 24 40 1 -6
21-23 August 2009 43 26 27 3 +16
25-27 September 2009 43 28 27 2 +16
16-18 October 2009 44 31 23 2 +21
13-15 November 2009 46 28 23 3 +23
11-13 December 2009 32 29 36 3 -4

 

 

2010 Improve Stay the same Get worse Don't know EOI
  % % % % %
26-28 January 2010 44 28 24 3 +20
19-22 February 2010 37 29 31 2 +6
19-22 March 2010 36 32 29 3 +7
18-19 April 2010 41 30 26 4 +15
12-13 May 2010 41 22 31 6 +10
18-20 June 2010 35 23 40 3 -5
23-25 July 2010 37 24 34 4 +2
10-12 Sept 2010 28 22 48 2 -20
15-17 Oct 2010 27 22 48 4 -21
12-14 Nov 2010 28 21 48 3 -20
10-12 Dec 2010 29 26 41 4 -12

 

 

2011 Improve Stay the same Get worse Don't know EOI
  % % % % %
21-24 January 2011 24 20  53   3   -29 
18-20 February 2011 19 23 56 2 -37
11-13 March 2011 23 23 51 3 -28
15-17 April 2011 31 24 42 3 -11
20-24 May 2011 29 27 42 2 -13
17-19 June 2011 23 28 46 3 -23
16-18 July 2011 22 27 48 3 -26
20-22 August 2011  19 26 52 3 -33
10-12 September 2011 20 25 52 4 -32
22-24 October 2011 16 25 57 3 -41
19-21 November 2011 15 25 58 2 -43
10-12 December 2011 12 25 60 2 -48

 

 

2012 Improve Stay the same Get worse Don't know EOI
  % % % % %
21-23 January 2012 16 29 51 3 -35
25-27 February 2012 24 28 46 2 -22
17-19 March 2012 29 25 43 2 -14
21-23 April 2012 24 32 42 2  -18
12-14 May 2012 21 32 44 3 -23
9-11 June 2012  18 29  50  3  -32 
14-16 July 2012 16 33  48  3  -32 
11-13 August 2012 16 40 43  2  -27 
15-17 September 2012 26 36 35  3  -9 
20-24 October 2012  25 33 39 3  -14
10-13 November 2012  29 34 35 2 -6
8 - 10 December 2012    19 33  46  2  -27 

 

 

2013 Improve Stay the same Get worse Don't know EOI
  % % % % %
12-14 January 2013 21 33 43 3 -22
9-11 February 2013 22 30 44  3  -22 
 9-11 March 2013 18  31   48  3   -30
 13-15 April 2013  22 35  41  3  -19 
 11-13 May 2013 30  37  31  3  -1 
 8-10 June 2013 31  35  31  4  0 
 13-15 July 2013  35 30  30  3  +5 
 10-12 August 2013 44  29  24  2   +20
 7-9 September 2013  46 28  23  3  +23 
 12-15 October 2013  42  28 27  3  +15 
 9-11 November 2013 42  27  27  4  +15 
 7-9 December 2013 44 27  26  2  +18 

 

 

2014 Improve Stay the same Get worse Don't know EOI
  % % % % %
11-14 January 2014 45 26 26 3 +19
1-3 February 2014 50 23 24  3  +26 
 8-12 March 2014 48  24  25  3   +23
 5-7 April 2014  49 25  24  2  +25 
 10-12 May 2014 53  25  18  4  +35 
 14-17 June 2014 50  25  21  4  +29 
 12-15 July 2014  46 29  21  4  +25 
 9-11 August 2014 51  26  19  4   +32
 6-9 September 2014  45 29  21  5  +24 
 11-14 October 2014  37  31 25  7  +12 
 8-10 November 2014 42  30  23  5  +19 
 13-15 December 2014 35 30  30  5  +5 

 

2015 Improve Stay the same Get worse Don't know EOI
  % % % % %
11-13 January 2015 38 30 26 6 +12
10-12 February 2015 37 30 26 7 +11
8-11 March 2015  41 33 20 7 +21
 12-15 April 2015  42  27 21 11 +21
 26-29 April 2015 43  27 17  14   +26
 14-16 June 2015  42 28 26 4 +16
18-20 July 2015 42 26 28 4 +14
19-22 September 2015  35  28  34  3  +1 
17-19 October 2015  32  27  38  3  -6 
14-17 November 2015  31  25  40  4  -9 
12-14 December 2015  34  28  35  3  -1 

 

2016 Improve Stay the same Get worse Don't know EOI
  % % % % %
23-25 January 2016 26 31 39 4 -13
13-16 February 2016 25 26 44 5 -19
19-22 March 2016 23 32 40 5 -17
 16-18 April 2016 25 31 33 10 -8
 14 - 16 May 2016 18 31 38 12 -20
 11 - 14 June 2016  19 31 29 21 -10
 9 - 11 July 2016  23 16  57  4  -34
13 - 15 August 2016 28 22 43 6 -15
 10 - 14 September 2016  36 24 37 3 -1
14 - 17 October 2016  24 17 53 5 -29
11 - 14 November 2016 26 23 47 5 -21
10 - 12 December 2016  24  21 51 5 -27

 

2017 Improve Stay the same Get worse Don't know EOI
  % % % % %
13-16 January 2017 27 21 47 4 -20
10 - 14 February 2017 28 24 44 4 -16
10 - 14 March 2017  22 24  50  4  -28 
21 - 25 April 2017 28 24 40 8 -12
15 - 17 May 2017 27 23 43 8 -16
14 - 18 July 2017 14 28 54 4 -40
15-18 September 2017 21 23 52 4 -31
27  October- 1 November 2017 19 24 51 6 -32
24 - 28 November 2017 15 24 58 3 -43
           
2018 Improve Stay the same Get worse Don't know EOI
  % % % % %
19-23 January 2018 20 24 52 4 -32
2-7 March 2018 22 22 54 3 -32
20-24 April 2018 23 28 46 3 -23
18-22 May 2018 23 27 46 5 -23
22-27 June 2018 19 23 54 4 -35
20-24 July 2018 17 23 54 6 -37
14-18 September 2018 15 19 59 7 -44
19-22 October 2018 14 21 61 5 -47
30 Nov - 5 Dec 2018 14 19 61 6 -47
           
2019 Improve Stay the same Get worse Don't know EOI
  % % % % %
1-5 Feb 2019

14

 21 57 9 -43
15-19 March 2019  16 20 58 6 -42
10-14 May 2019 16 25 51 9 -35
21-25 June 2019 13 23 57 7 -44
26-30 July 2019 18 19 58 5 -40
13-16 Sept 2019 15 20 59 6 -44
25-28 Oct 2019 17 19 56 8 -39
2-4 Dec 2019 21 20 50 9 -29
General Election 2019 (12 December)

 

2020 Improve Stay the same Get worse Don't know EOI
  % % % % %
31 Jan-3 Feb 2020

29

 21 42 7 -13
13-16 March 2020 (T) 15 13 69 3 -54
5-10 June 2020 (T) 22 6 69 3 -47
30 July - 4 August 2020 (T) 20 9 68 2 -48
11-18 Sept 2020 (T) 21 10 66 3 -45
22-28 Oct 2020 (T) 15 10 71 4 -56
4-10 Dec 2020 (T) 27 7 63 4 -36

 

2021 Improve Stay the same Get worse Don't know EOI
  % % % % %
29 Jan - 4 Feb 2021

29

 9 60 2 -31
5-12 March 2021 43 14 41 3 +2
16-22 April 2021 51 11 36 2 +15
28 May - 3 June 2021 53 13 31 4 +22
2-8 July 2021 47 12 36 5 +11
30 July - 9 August 2021 44 12 39 5 +5
17-23 September 2021 31 13 53 3 -22
29 Oct - 3 Nov 2021 28 17 54 2 -26
3-10 December 2021 25 19 52 4 -27
19-25 Jan 2022 27 13 56 3 -29
9-16 Mar 2022 14 7 76 4 -62
20-28 Apr 2022 14 12 70 4 -56
11-17 May 2022 15 10 72 3 -57
22-29 June 2022 13 8 77 2 -64
21-27 July 2022 16 10 69 5 -53
7-15 Sept 2022 15 10 71 3 -56
5-12 Oct 2022 16 11 70 3 -54
9-16 November 2022 16 10 72 3 -56
7-13 December 2022 14 14 69 3 -55
13-19 January 2023 24 16 57 3 -33
22 Feb - 1 March 2023 23 12 61 4 -38
22-29 March 2023 22 17 58 3 -36
10-16 May 2023 24 18 54 4 -30
14-20 June 2023 21 18 58 3 -37
19-23 July 2023 28 15 55 3 -27
6-12 September 2023 20 23 55 2 -35
11-18 October 2023 21 20 55 5 -34
1-7 November 2023 19 21 55 5 -36
The author(s)
  • Dr. Roger Mortimore Public Affairs

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