Recent improvements in the US economy could give Barack Obama the edge over Republican rival Mitt Romney, says Marcus Bullus, trading director at MB Capital…

If President Obama looked on the ropes in Wednesday's Presidential debate, the economy has just hit his opponent with a sucker punch.

For the first time in 44 months, the unemployment rate has dropped below 8%, a symbolic threshold over which the Republicans have repeatedly baited the President.

Job creation is powering ahead and unemployment is falling, even if there is continued weakness in America's manufacturing sector.

House prices are rising and consumer confidence has finally picked itself off the floor.

If ever there was an example of electoral serendipity, this is it.

The economy could be coming good just at the right time for the President. 0.2% could be the fraction that gives him another four years in office.