Signs of Economic Hope Are Growing, Some With Superlatives

The American economic recovery is gathering steam, renewing confidence that a vibrant revival awaits as the pandemic recedes.

After months of false starts, evidence is mounting that the economy has definitively turned a corner, with more growth on the horizon. Job gains last month were the strongest since August. There are signs that the snarled global supply chain may be untangling.

And in dual reports on Thursday, the government reported more good news: Retail sales in March blew past expectations, rising nearly 10 percent, and jobless claims last week fell...