The economy is looking a bit sunnier, and just in time for spring.
Dual economic indicators released Thursday offered some good news for the U.S. economy coming out of this year’s harsh winter. The Commerce Department said the economy grew by 2.6 percent in the fourth quarter of 2013, more than previously thought, as consumer spending beat previous estimates. In all of 2013, the economy grew 1.9 percent.
Also on Thursday, the Department of Labor said applications for unemployment benefits—a key indicator of the U.S. job environment—fell last week to a near-four-month low. Jobless claims fell 10,000 to 311,000 in the week ending March 22, while economists surveyed by Bloomberg expected a slight uptick.
More Must-Reads From TIME
- The 100 Most Influential People of 2024
- The Revolution of Yulia Navalnaya
- 6 Compliments That Land Every Time
- What's the Deal With the Bitcoin Halving?
- If You're Dating Right Now , You're Brave: Column
- The AI That Could Heal a Divided Internet
- Fallout Is a Brilliant Model for the Future of Video Game Adaptations
- Want Weekly Recs on What to Watch, Read, and More? Sign Up for Worth Your Time
Write to Noah Rayman at noah.rayman@time.com