President Barack Obama and Mitt Romney remain locked in a close race for the White House, but Obama has improved his standing in the swing states both candidates are targeting, according to a new NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll.

The poll shows Obama leading Romney by 47 percent to 44 percent nationally, virtually unchanged from his margin in May. But among Americans in a dozen battleground states, the Democratic incumbent holds a more substantial 8-point edge, reflecting an uptick in those states since earlier this year.

“It’s been a good month electorally” for Obama, said Democratic pollster Peter Hart, who conducts the NBC/WSJ survey with his Republican counterpart Bill McInturff. The poll of 1,000 adults, conducted June 20-24, carries a margin for error of 3.1%.

More Top Stories

US Job Market Gains Could Lead Fed to Taper QE3 Early

Yahoo Board Agrees to Buy Tumblr for $1 Billion: Report

These Tech Giants Covered by the Cloud, Too: Pros

Bulls Will Drive Market but Bernanke Is Steering

'Dirty Dozen': Singling Out 12 Worst Mutual Funds

More Top Stories