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Stocks are shaking off a two-week slump after a report on retail sales wasn't as bad as economists had predicted... The government said Tuesday that retail sales edged down 0.2 percent last month, the first decline in nearly a year. That was slightly better than analysts were expecting. Americans bought fewer cars during the month, but the decline reflected temporary supply chain disruptions caused by the earthquake and tsunami disaster in Japan. Excluding weak car sales, retail sales rose 0.3 percent.

Consumers are saving more and reducing debt, behavior that could lead to a more sustainable economy. Signs of slower growth in the United States, coupled with rising fears over the European debt crisis and other unsettling developments, are fueling concern about whether the sputtering U.S. recovery could stall or even enter a new downturn.

World markets are also up as investors look past worries about the American economy and Europe’s debt crisis.

California's unemployment rate ticked down to 11.9% in April after the state added 8,900 jobs, a relatively small number in a state still suffering from the Great Recession.

The number of American households behind on mortgage payments posted a substantial decline from year-earlier levels, but foreclosures remained near record highs in the first quarter.

The number of people applying for unemployment benefits fell sharply for the second straight week, suggesting the job market is slowly recovering.

U.S. claims for unemployment aid fell sharply last week after a surprisingly big rise the prior week, a government report showed on Thursday.

Job openings in March were the most in 2-1/2 years, a government report showed on Wednesday, pointing to a firming labor market tone.

Lower unemployment, bankruptcies and foreclosures in March reduced the nation's economic stress to its lowest point this year, according to The Associated Press' monthly analysis of conditions around the country.

The pace of expansion in U.S. manufacturing slowed in April for a second straight month but was brisker than expected, data showed on Monday, a sign the sector was holding up despite slower national growth.