Good news about jobs, economy for a change

Unemployment rates fell in a majority of U.S. cities in July, despite a weak economy that is producing few jobs.

The Labor Department said Wednesday that unemployment rates dropped in 193 large metro areas, increased in 118 and were flat in 61. That's a sharp change from June, when unemployment rates rose in more than 90 percent of metro areas. ...

...The economy expanded at an annual pace of just 0.7 percent in the first half of the year. That's the weakest six months of growth since the recession officially ended two years ago.

The July-September quarter is off to a better start. Consumer spending rose 0.8 percent last month, the largest gain in five months. Americans bought more cars and spent more to cool their homes during a heat wave. ...NYT