Finance & economics | Free exchange

Biden’s chances of re-election are better than they appear

The economy is providing a headwind at present. That could soon change

A cartoon drawing of an injured donkey floating just above the ground, lifted by some balloons featuring smiley faces.
Illustration: Álvaro Bernis

AMERICANS HAVE not been impressed by President Joe Biden’s handling of the economy. In fact, according to polling averages, nearly 60% disapprove of it. Meanwhile, Donald Trump’s ratings on economic matters are considerably better. The gap in perceptions augurs ill for Mr Biden’s chances of winning the presidential election in November, especially since voters rank the economy as the most important issue facing the country.

Explore more

This article appeared in the Finance & economics section of the print edition under the headline “I forgot that inflation existed”

From the February 3rd 2024 edition

Discover stories from this section and more in the list of contents

Explore the edition

More from Finance & economics

China meets its official growth target. Not everyone is convinced

For one thing, 2024 saw the second-weakest rise in nominal GDP since the 1970s

Ethiopia's Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed speaks during the launch of the Ethiopian Securities Exchange in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on January 10th 2025

Ethiopia gets a stockmarket. Now it just needs some firms to list

The country is no longer the most populous without a bourse


Shibuya crossing in Tokyo, Japan

Are big cities overrated?

New economic research suggests so


Why catastrophe bonds are failing to cover disaster damage 

The innovative form of insurance is reaching its limits

“The Traitors”, a reality TV show, offers a useful economics lesson

It is a finite, sequential, incomplete information game

Will Donald Trump unleash Wall Street?

Bankers have plenty of reason to be hopeful