Economic Recovery Appears Temporarily Halted

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The economic recovery that had been widely expected since late spring now seems much less certain, raising the likelihood that a strong rebound in hiring, wages and retail sales will not occur before the fall, at the earliest.

Many economists have reached that conclusion in recent days after confronting statistics and surveys that measure the economy's recent performance. Economic conditions have clearly improved since the spring, the data show, but the progress toward recovery seems to have temporarily halted.

"We are going to live for a while in a situation in which it is hard to discern good times," said James P. Smith, a senior economist at Rand …