Janet Yellen, vice chairman of the Federal Reserve, is by far the most likely candidate to replace Ben Bernanke when his second term at the central bank ends next year, according to Reuters poll of economists. 

The poll found that an overwhelming 40 of 44 economists said Yellen, the former president of the San Francisco Federal Reserve Bank, will take over for her boss in February 2014. Support for her nomination was strong but less decisive, with 23 of 38 economists backing Yellen’s bid for the top job.