Economic Recovery, Good News | featured news

Retail sales in the U.S. climbed more than forecast in September, easing concern that unemployment stuck near a 26-year high will bring the recovery to a halt.

While sales were up, overall demand continued to be lower than automakers had expected it to be at this point in the economic recovery.

New claims for unemployment benefits fell more than expected last week to their lowest level in two months, a hopeful sign for the troubled labor market.

Consumer spending rose at the strongest pace in four months in July, supported by a small gain in incomes, offering hope that consumers will be able to keep contributing to a modest recovery.

Second-quarter economic growth was revised to an anemic 1.6%, a decline that was slightly less than many economists had predicted. But the report was a sobering cap to a week of bad economic news that has raised fears the nation could plunge into another recession.

Economists say the U.S. recovery continued during the second quarter of this year with more businesses hiring workers and fewer cutting jobs, but the pace of growth has slowed, a new survey shows.

Private employers add 83,000 jobs in June, more than double the rate in May but still below the numbers that would suggest a strong recovery.

The stock market rebounded Wednesday after a stronger-than-expected increase in pending home sales restored investors' optimism about the economy.

New data indicate the American economy is continuing to recover despite the European slowdown.

Two senior Federal Reserve officials were upbeat Monday about the U.S. economic recovery despite the worsening debt crisis in Europe, but gave no indication the Fed is anywhere near raising interest rates.