Economy Issues

Economy Issues

USA TODAY: Dazzled by data, economists see blue skies ahead

WASHINGTON — Some economists are raising their forecasts for growth in the first quarter of 2004, based on surging consumer spending, rising factory orders and glimmers of a turnaround in the job market. . . .

"Off the top of my head, I would say that we just moved from 4% gross-domestic-product growth in (the first quarter of 2004) to something like 5%." . . . [says Steve Stanley]

Brian Wesbury . . . predicted the government could report a 6% growth rate in the GDP . . . .

The . . . Labor Department reported April 2 that the economy created more than 300,000 jobs in March - a sign the "jobless recovery" may be easing. . . .

A survey of 1,200 businesses . . . found that 88% of business owners were optimistic about the next six months, with 21% planning to add full-time employees.