Shoppers searching for discounts

With the economy only limping along, Americans are once again being choosy at stores, many of them buying only at deep discounts because they can’t shake uncertainty about their jobs.

Retailers around the country posted a sales increase of just 2.8 percent for July over a year earlier — and at that time, the economy looked much bleaker than it does today.

The July figure, released Thursday by the International Council of Shopping Centers based on results from 31 chains, was the fourth straight month of weak retail numbers.

Without more jobs, Americans are likely to remain cautious with their spending, restraining the economic rebound, they said. But without more spending, companies will likely be slow to hire.

On Friday, the government will release its snapshot of the nation’s job market for July, and no one expects anything strong. Private companies are expected to have added 90,000 jobs for the month, not nearly enough for healthy economic growth.

Tags: us business, business, consumers, economy