optimism

Leaders usually like to start the year with optimism, but Angela Merkel and others are finding it hard to see the bright side to the current situation in Europe.

The number of Americans filing for first-time unemployment benefits dropped to their lowest level since April 2008, boosting optimism in the job market.

Stock markets shift from "Manic Monday" to "Merger Monday" as companies swoop in on rivals to expand. Is this a sign of economic optimism?

There are real signs that the economic recovery will gain strength next year, but that doesn't change the fact that most Americans still won't feel it.

Optimism about the U.S. economy grew in November, pushing the latest reading on consumer sentiment to the highest level since June -- ahead of the holiday shopping period.

The answer is important, because the housing inventory won't shrink until more people are able to qualify for loans. Here are 3 reasons for optimism.

Wild optimism about economic growth is at the heart of the Obama administration's plans to shrink the federal budget deficit. And that's not the only problem.

The past decade has taught some hard lessons, but there are reasons for optimism as economies -- especially abroad -- become energized on some surprising fronts.

The mood regarding the U.S. economy may be inching, ever so slowly, toward optimism. But don't expect to see much improvement on the jobs front anytime soon.

The economy's following a script for a jobless recovery, and unemployment is likely to stay high, if not get slightly worse.

Despite fatter paychecks from stimulus money and a boost from the Cash for Clunkers program, retail sales fell last month.

Amy Scott asked around and found a lot of economists were taken by surprise.