Americans’ assessments of the U.S. economy improved slightly in November and early December but remain decidedly negative, according to Gallup.  Its economic confidence index moved upward to -39 in November from -45 in October.  That's progress, of sorts.

While gas prices have come down, they are still higher than a year ago, and the majority of Americans say they have experienced financial hardship because of rising prices.  Persistently high inflation, a struggling stock market, high interest rates and fears of an impending recession are all factors in the negative outlook.

Gallup's economic confidence index ranges from -100 to +100.