Public confidence in politics and the economy have rebounded, while confidence in President Ma Ying-jeou has hit a new high, a survey released by the Taipei- based Global Views Monthly has found. The monthly magazine is generally considered to be independent in its surveys and reports. The survey showed the public's confidence in Taiwan's political situation climbed to 48.2 points on a scale of zero to 100 points, up by 3.9 points from the previous month, while confidence in the economy was also up for October, jumping by 3.4 points from September to 42.5 points. The public mood index, which combines the political and economic confidence indexes, increased 3.7 points last month to 45.4 points in October, the highest figure seen in the last few months. But despite the increase, public sentiment was still not yet considered optimistic, according to the index. According to the survey, if the public mood index registers above 50 points, this indicates optimism, while a score of below 50 points indicates a negative view. Meanwhile, the survey showed public confidence in Ma surged to 50.1 points, reaching anew high since August, 2009, when Ma's confidence index plunged to 42 points in the wake of Typhoon Morakot. Premier Wu Den-yih received a slightly lower confidence index of 46.6 points, while confidence in the ruling party Kuomintang was at 46 points, up by 4.8 points. Center director Lian Tai attributed the growth in public confidence to the improved performance of the Ma administration, and the public regaining faith in the recovery of the local economy. Also from the survey, Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Chairwoman Tsai Ing- wen's political confidence index dropped by 2.2 points to 49 points. Her party's trust level also fell 1.2 points to 41.3 points. The survey was conducted by telephone on Oct. 14-17 with 1,007 valid responses received. It had a confidence level of 95 percent and a margin of error of plus or minus 3 percent. 