NEW YORK (CNN/Money) - American consumers' view of the economy improved to an 18-year high for the month ended March 17, according to an ABC News/Money magazine survey.

About 47 percent of Americans see the economy improving, an increase of 18 percentage points from mid-February and 38 points from the month ended Sept. 16, 2001.

The current level was last seen when the economy emerged from the 1980-82 recession, according to the survey.

The surge in economic optimism echoes the sentiment expressed by the Federal Reserve Board at its meeting Tuesday. The Fed left interest rates unchanged, saying "the economy, bolstered by a marked swing in inventory investment, is expanding at a significant pace."

Separately, the ABC News/Money magazine consumer confidence index, comprising current views on the economy, personal finance and the buying climate, rose a point to the highest level of the year at negative 4, on a basis of positive 100 to negative 100.

Americans from higher-income households came in at positive 25 on the index, compared with negative 41 for those from lower-income households.

Views on the national economy improved a percentage point from last week, as 41 percent of those polled said the economy is in good or excellent shape.

Opinions on personal finance remained high, yet unchanged from last week, as 61 percent of those surveyed said their finances are in good or excellent shape.

Views on the buying climate also remained unchanged from a week ago, as 42 percent said it's an excellent or good time to buy things they want or need.

The ABC News/Money magazine consumer confidence index represents a rolling average based on telephone interviews with about 1,000 adults nationwide each month. The latest week's results are based on 1,020 interviews in the month ended March 17 and have a margin of error of plus or minus three percentage points.