Twenty-seven percent (27%) of American voters believe the nation is heading in the right direction. That’s up from 21% just before Barack Obama was inaugurated as President and up from 14% just before the election.

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey of likely voters found 63% say the nation is moving down the wrong track while 10% are undecided.

Women have grown more optimistic over the past week, with 31% who now say America is moving in the right direction, compared to just 20% a week ago.

Among men, there has been no change--23% say the nation is moving in the right direction. That’s the same figure as last week.

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Half of African-American voters (50%) now say the nation is moving in the right direction up from 35% a week ago. Only 37% of black voters say America is moving down the wrong track, down from 52% last week.

White voters also shared increased optimism, with a quarter (25%) who now say the nation is heading in the right direction, up from 19% a week ago.

Not surprisingly, with a change in Presidents, Democrats also grew more optimistic. Forty-two percent (42%) of those in Barack Obama’s party now say America is moving in the right direction, up from 26%.

Republican sentiments have remained steady, with the same percentage (15%) who sees a positive future as last week.

Obama’s approval ratings remain high in the Presidential Approval Index, though they are slightly lower since he officially entered the White House.

The Rasmussen Consumer and Investor indexes show economic confidence still hovering around record low levels.

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