LONDON - (Xinhua) -- Economists polled by Reuters news agency in July predicted a 40 percent chance of a recession in the United States next year, up from 25 percent in June.

On Thursday, the agency reported that the probability of a recession in the United States within two years was 50 percent, a significant increase from 40 percent the previous month.

The Fed is expected to raise interest rates again at the conclusion of its two-day meeting on Wednesday. After that, the country's GDP for the second quarter will be released.

(Reuters) said that the outlook for economic growth has "generally eased." After the US economy experienced a decline in the first quarter, more than one in five respondents polled in July expected another contraction for the second quarter.

Also on Thursday, the agency said the number of Americans filing for unemployment benefits rose in the week ending July 16 for the third straight week, reaching an eight-month high, which "is likely to add to fears of a recession."