A new U.S. public opinion poll finds a surge in Americans' optimism about the nation's economic recovery may have stalled.

The survey, released Friday by Quinnipiac University, finds the percentage of voters who think the economy is in a recession has grown by two percent since February, and the percentage who believe it is beginning to recover has dropped by one percent. More Americans also say they are worse off financially than four years ago, and 51 percent do not expect their financial situation to change in the next year.

Quinnipiac Polling Institute official Peter Brown said “a small majority of American voters think the economy is improving,” but the “groundswell of optimism” seen in recent months seems to have, in his words, “hit a wall.”

The poll also questioned voters about their views on other key issues. By a margin of 49 to 38 percent they want the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn President Barack Obama's health care reform law. Sixty-two percent of voters say the Supreme Court should uphold Arizona's controversial immigration law, which drew opposition from Mr. Obama and prompted his administration to sue the southwestern state.

The poll comes at a critical time for the president as he battles for re-election this year.