Experts see a "resilient" U.S. economy. Voters aren't buying it.

With just days until the midterm elections, getting a read on the U.S. economy can be elusive: The country remains a step ahead of a recession and the labor market is surprisingly strong, with most workers who want a job currently employed.

Yet inflation remains at a 40-year-high, souring the mood of many voters, some of whom say they have had to cut back on basic expenses to pay for their energy bills. The key housing market is also sagging, with mortgage costs soaring as the Federal Reserve jacks up interest rates in a bid to stifle inflation.

Asked to sum up the U.S. economy in a word, economists interviewed by CBS MoneyWatch described it as "fragile" and "cooling," yet also "resilient."