The economy is thriving — but that may not be enough to get Trump reelected
WASHINGTON - After a sluggish start this year that had sparked fears of recession, the American economy has taken a sweeping turn for the better: Consumer spending has picked up, stocks are back at record levels and the outlook for trade has brightened along with the global economy.
Confirmation of the good news came Friday with the latest monthly jobs numbers, showing the economy produced 263,000 new jobs last month, average wages rose at a solid pace, and the nation's unemployment rate fell to 3.6 percent. That's the lowest in almost 50 years.
The news bolstered President Donald Trump, for whom a strong economy provides a necessary - but perhaps not sufficient - basis for reelection. Trump cheered the report, declaring in a Twitter message:
