White House disagrees with Clinton on economy

CHICAGO (Reuters) - The White House on Monday acknowledged the U.S. economy had hit a rough patch but disagreed with Democratic presidential contender Hillary Clinton's prediction that a recession was looming.

"I don't know of anyone predicting a recession," said White House spokesman Tony Fratto.

Fratto described the economic picture as mixed as he acknowledged concerns about the housing sector and oil prices but said inflation was relatively low and exports were rising.

Clinton, seeking to become the first woman president, raised worries about the economy during a weekend debate in New Hampshire before that state's primary contest on Tuesday.

"I think the economy is slipping toward recession," said Clinton.

The New York senator and former first lady said "there's a lot of pressures on middle-class families, and the kind of costs that they have to keep up with have all gone up astronomically."

A government report on Friday showing a meager 18,000 gain in U.S. jobs in December and a jump in the unemployment rate to 5 percent has reinforced worries about the economy. The jobs data came in the same week that oil prices hit $100 a barrel.

Private economists are increasingly concerned about the possibility of a recession, a concern that has begun to echo on the campaign trail.

(Editing by Doina Chiacu)