Economists expect slightly stronger growth this coming year, according to a recent Associated Press survey.

However, they don't expect the unemployment rate to fall before the presidential election. It currently stands at 8.6 percent.

Three dozen private, corporate, and academic economists predicted the economy to grow by 2.4 percent in 2012. The economy grew only 2 percent in 2011.

But they warn the U.S. economy still remains vunerable to outside shock from the Europe debt crisis, which could result in a worldwide credit freeze like the one that hit the U.S. financial markets in late 2008.

Unemployment still remains the largest economic concern.

"I just don't know if it's going to be enough to bring the unemployment rate down," said Chad Moutray, chief economist for the National Association of Manufacturers.

The economists were surveyed between Dec. 14-20.