Reports show more Americans feel better about economic rebound

WASHINGTON (AP) — A flurry of reports out today suggested that many Americans are feeling better about the economic rebound.

Retail spending rose sharply and more than expected. Consumer inflation remains all but invisible. Businesses are boosting their stockpiles in anticipation of higher shopper demand.

And Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke expressed confidence that the recovery will endure, though without enough strength to quickly reduce unemployment much.

The latest evidence of a gradually strengthening recovery was a third straight month of retail sales gains reported by the government. Better weather and auto incentives brought shoppers out in force in March.

Sales surged 1.6 percent, the Commerce Department said, up from February's revised 0.5 percent gain. Economists surveyed by Thomson Reuters had expected a gain of 1.2 percent.