US economic reports hold out hope for hiring gains

WASHINGTON, USA — Fewer Americans are losing their jobs. Employers are struggling to squeeze more work from their staffs. The US is producing so much oil that imports are plunging, narrowing the trade deficit. A string of data Thursday raised hopes for stronger hiring and US growth in coming months. More jobs would spur spending and help energize the economy, which has yet to regain full health nearly four years after the Great Recession officially ended. And an interest rate cut Thursday by the European Central Bank, if it helps bolster the European economy, could also contribute to US growth.