Consumer Purchases in U.S. Climb as Firings Abate: Economy

Sales at U.S. retailers rose more than forecast in May, and firings waned last week, indicating consumers will help propel the world’s largest economy past a second-quarter slowdown.

Purchases climbed 0.6 percent, the biggest gain in three months, following a 0.1 percent April increase, Commerce Department figures showed today in Washington. The number of claims for jobless benefits dropped by 12,000 to 334,000 in the week ended June 8, the Labor Department reported.