Obama ratings sink on economic doubts, worries

WASHINGTON - US President Barack Obama@@@sapproval ratings have dipped to their lowest level since Januaryon deep economic worries, wiping out most of his lead in theWhite House race over Republican rival Mitt Romney, aReuters/Ipsos poll showed on Tuesday.

The percentage of Americans who approve of Obama@@@s jobperformance dropped from 50 a month ago to 47, his lowest levelsince early January. The number who think the country is on thewrong track rose 6 percentage points in a month to 63 percent.

The doubts about Obama@@@s leadership helped Romney pull towithin 1 point of the Democratic president in the White Houserace - 45 percent to 44 percent - among registered voters withless than five months to go before the Nov. 6 election. Obamaled by 7 points a month ago.

The poll was mostly taken after Obama suffered severalrecent campaign setbacks, including a weak jobs report in Mayand an optimistic comment on the good health of the privatesector that critics say showed he was out of touch.

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