Ford Motor Co on Thursday stuck to its target of adding 7,000 jobs in the United States over the next two years, saying it sees an economic expansion here and not a double-dip recession.

"In the U.S., we're still seeing economic expansion," Alan Mulally, chief executive of the second-largest U.S. automaker, told reporters. "We're very encouraged by the recovery even though it is slower than in the past."

In other good news from the economic sector yesterday: Fewer Americans filed new claims for jobless benefits last week than at any time since April, in what could be an encouraging sign for the labor market.

Also reported, the US economy in the second quarter grew faster than previously reported, with GDP rising 1.3%, up from earlier estimates of one percent.

(READ the Ford story via Reuters – Yahoo)