By JEANNINE AVERSA
AP Economics Writer
WASHINGTO – The United States can’t fully recover from the worst recession in decades until hiring improves, Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke said Thursday.
The economy is strengthening, and will likely grow at a faster pace this year as more confident consumers and companies spend more, Bernanke said in a speech to the National Press Club. But he warned that growth won’t be strong enough to quickly drive down high unemployment.
“Until we see a sustained period of stronger job creation, we cannot consider the recovery to be truly established,” he said.