Ipsos/Reuters Poll: July 2012

Washington, D.C. - These are findings from an Ipsos poll conducted for Reuters from July 5-9, 2012.

• Most Americans continue to feel the country is headed down the wrong track (58% to 36% right direction). However, that number is somewhat improved from the 63% who thought we were on the wrong track in June.
• Correspondingly, job approval for President Obama has improved slightly, now at 48% approve, 47% disapprove.
• Approval for Obama among Democrats and disapproval among Republicans is essentially unchanged from the last few months. Independents, on the other hand, have shifted towards Obama and are now evenly split between approval and disapproval (both at 41%).
• Currently, popular perception of President Obama gives him credit in foreign policy areas, education and, recently, in healthcare. Obama is perceived as performing less well on the economy and jobs and energy independence.
• Currently, the head to head matchup between Barack Obama and Mitt Romney favors Obama among registered voters. This month Obama has a 6 point margin over his competitor.

These are findings from an Ipsos poll conducted for Reuters from July 5-9, 2012. For the survey, a nationally representative, randomly selected sample of exactly 1,154 adults aged 18 and older across the United States was interviewed by Ipsos via live telephone interviewing on landlines and cell phones. With a sample of this size, the results are considered accurate within 2.9 percentage points, 19 times out of 20, of what they would have been had the entire adult population in the U.S. been polled.

All sample surveys and polls may be subject to other sources of error, including, but not limited to coverage error and measurement error. These data were weighted to ensure that the sample composition reflects that of the actual U.S. population according to U.S. Census figures. Respondents had the option to be interviewed in English or Spanish. Please note that throughout this document, figures based on Independent voters are indicative only due to small sample size. Figures marked by an asterisk (*) indicate a percentage value of greater than zero but less than one half of a per cent. Where figures do not sum to 100, this is due to the effects of rounding. Responses are based on the full sample of adults unless otherwise noted.

More data and full technical details are available in the topline document attached.

For more information on this news release please contact:

Chris Jackson Research Director Ipsos Public Affairs 202.420.2011 [email protected]

About Ipsos Public Affairs

Ipsos Public Affairs is a non-partisan, objective, survey-based research practice made up of seasoned professionals. We conduct strategic research initiatives for a diverse number of American and international organizations, based not only on public opinion research, but elite stakeholder, corporate, and media opinion research.

Ipsos has media partnerships with the most prestigious news organizations around the world. In the U.S., UK and internationally, Ipsos Public Affairs is the media polling supplier to Reuters News, the world's leading source of intelligent information for businesses and professionals, and the Hispanic polling partner of Telemundo Communications Group, a division of NBC Universal providing Spanish-language content to U.S. Hispanics and audiences around the world.

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About Ipsos

Ipsos is an independent market research company controlled and managed by research professionals. Founded in France in 1975, Ipsos has grown into a worldwide research group with a strong presence in all key markets. In October 2011 Ipsos completed the acquisition of Synovate. The combination forms the world's third largest market research company.

With offices in 84 countries, Ipsos delivers insightful expertise across six research specializations: advertising, customer loyalty, marketing, media, public affairs research, and survey management.

Ipsos researchers assess market potential and interpret market trends. They develop and build brands. They help clients build long-term relationships with their customers. They test advertising and study audience responses to various media and they measure public opinion around the globe.

Ipsos has been listed on the Paris Stock Exchange since 1999 and generated global revenues of e1,363 billion (1.897 billion USD) in 2011.

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