A Bloomberg survey of users on six continents showed confidence in the world economy surged to a 22-month high in August on signs the global recession is approaching an end.

The U.S. unemployment rate dropped in July for the first time since April 2008, data from the Labor Department showed this month. The Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development said today that the economies of its 30 members collectively stopped shrinking in the second quarter as Japan, France and Germany exited recession.