The U.S. may be exiting its worst recession since the Great Depression but there is still a small minority of Americans who rate the national economy as being excellent or great, according to a new survey.

Only 11 percent of Americans said the U.S. economy was in excellent or good shape, according to the latest ABC News poll. However 89 percent said it was not good or in poor shape.

The poll was conducted from a national sample of 1,000 adults in the four weeks ending in October 4. There is a 3-point error margin.

People evaluating their own personal finances were generally more favorable. The poll found 44 percent said their personal finances were either excellent or good, while 56 percent said they were either not good or poor.

Only a small number were also willing to say the time was right to go shopping.

Only 27 percent said it was an excellent or good time to buy things, while 73 percent said it was either not a good time, or a poor time to buy.

Field work was conducted by ICR-International Communications Research of Media, Pennsylvania.