Obama’s rating improves: poll

President Barack Obama’s fortunes are improving slightly, although he would face a tough struggle for re-election next year if Mitt Romney were the Republican nominee, a Reuters/Ipsos poll has said.

Forty-nine per cent of Americans approve of the way Obama is handling his job as president, up from 47 per cent in an October poll.

Obama’s disapproval rating held steady at 50 per cent.

While still low, the percentage of Americans who believe the country is headed in the right direction also increased, to 25 from 21 in the previous survey.

The percentage who feel it is on the wrong track slipped to 70 from 74, the survey said on Friday.