A trio of reports Thursday offered a reminder that the U.S. economy is struggling to grow and add jobs.

Businesses are growing more confident in the economy, investing in more equipment and laying off fewer workers.

For more Americans, being out of work has become a semi-permanent condition.

Europe has a debt crisis. America has a jobs crisis. Corporate profits could be in trouble. World financial markets are in turmoil. And no one seems prepared to ride to the rescue.

The economy is showing signs of modest improvement not enough to reduce high unemployment but enough to ease fears that another recession might be near.