Public confidence in the economy has almost doubled since a post-budget poll in March when only 26.5 respondents approved of the direction of the economy. In the most recent poll conducted between May 13-20 by Research Innovations, pollsters found public approval had jumped to 45.9 percent.

The random telephone poll had a sample size of 403. The margin of error is 4.9 percent.

It is the third time this year that pollsters have asked the public about their confidence in the direction of the economy.

In May, however, pollsters found a definite split on the subject based on race and age.

While 50.9 percent of blacks and 50 percent of those of mixed race said the economy was headed in the right direction, just 38.5 percent of whites felt the same way.

The situation was reversed however when pollsters asked respondents to rate current day economic conditions where 12.5 percent of respondents said they were excellent and 43.4 percent described them as good.

Broken down by race, just 9.6 percent of blacks compared to 13.8 percent of whites described the current economy as excellent while just 39.6 percent of blacks and 53.8 percent of whites described it as good.

Younger people were also less positive about the current state of the economy and more optimistic about the direction it was headed in the future.

In May, 8.5 percent of those age 55 plus said the current economic conditions were excellent and 47 percent said that they were good.

This compares to 16.1 percent of 36-54 year olds and 9.6 percent of18-35 year olds who saw current economic conditions as excellent. 42.2 percent of respondents in both younger groups said conditions were good.

Looking to the future however the outlook appears more rosy to the younger generation.

Half, 50.6 percent, of 18-35 year olds said the economy was moving in the right direction compared to 46.7 percent of 36-54 year olds and just 42 percent of those age 55 plus.