WASHINGTON, D.C. -- As the novel coronavirus outbreak has shut down much of the U.S. economy, a majority of Americans believe the country is in either an economic recession (37%) or a depression (21%). Most of the rest, 39%, believe the economy is "slowing down," while just 3% think it is growing.

Last week, Gallup reported on the increasing expectation that the U.S. economy would enter a recession. In this new question, first asked on March 24, a majority already believe the U.S. is in a recession, if not a depression. These attitudes have been steady over the past week. The figures reported here are based on March 27-29 interviewing.

Americans' perceptions of the economy are largely influenced by their party identification. Most Republicans, 61%, believe the economy is slowing down, rather than being in an economic recession (20%) or a depression (11%).

By contrast, more than three-fourths of Democrats believe the country is in a recession (49%) or depression (28%), as do 61% of independents.

Americans' Assessment of the U.S. Economy, by Party Identification Right now, do you think the U.S. economy is growing, slowing down, in a recession or in an economic depression? Republicans Independents Democrats % % % Growing 8 2 <1 Slowing down 61 37 23 In a recession 20 39 49 In an economic depression 11 22 28 Gallup Panel, March 27-29, 2020

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