With unemployment rates falling, more than 1 in 2 voters say economy is recovering

As the economy continues to be a central theme of President Donald Trump’s re-election campaign, his Democratic opponent, former Vice President Joe Biden, is highlighting a persistent divide between the financial health of wealthy Americans and regular consumers. “Those at the top are seeing things go up, and those at the middle or below are seeing things go down or get worse,” Biden said recently in a speech about the economy. Central to this discussion has been the disparity between the stock market, which recently hit a record high before a tech rout last week that sent shares plummeting, and the “real economy” — measures like consumer confidence, unemployment and other underlying economic indicators.