pring might revive growth, but doubts linger after poor jobs report The first shoots of a spring bloom in the economy might pop up this week, but don’t expect fresh doubts about the pace of U.S. growth to melt away overnight. Sales at retail stores and the construction of new homes are expected to show renewed vigor when the government releases its latest reports for March. Another survey of consumer sentiment is also likely to show Americans are fairly optimistic about the economy. Wall Street is certainly eager for good news, particularly after a March employment report that showed the stingiest hiring in 15 months. The poor jobs report capped off a long streak of disappointing news on the economy. The potentially good news, however, could be tempered by further evidence of softness among manufacturers. They’ve been hurt by a strong dollar that’s curbed the sale of U.S. exports as well as less demand for heavy equipment used to extract petroleum following the collapse in oil prices. Industrial production, for example, is forecast to decline by 0.3% in March. The report, released Wednesday, will “be atrocious, with mining, utilities and manufacturing output all shrinking,” said Paul Ashworth, chief U.S. economist at Capital Economics. The good news-bad news scenario means it will take at least a few more weeks, if not longer, to determine if U.S. growth is ready to sizzle after a harsh winter chilled the economy in the first quarter for the second year in a row. “The question hanging in the air today: Is the current slowdown just another temporary blip, or are we in for a more prolonged slog?” said Scott Anderson, chief economist at Bank of the West. Most economists, in the immortal words of Yogi Bera, see deja vu all over again. They expect a replay of 2014, when gross domestic product surged 4.6% in the second quarter after shrinking 2.1% in the first three months of that year. The U.S. is expected to grow just 1.5% in the 2015 first quarter, revving up to 3.5% in the April-to-June period, according to economists polled by MarketWatch. Yet rarely does an economy repeat the same pattern over an extended period, especially when conditions around the world are subject to sudden and fierce gusts of change. One year earlier, for example, the U.S. was not grappling with an uber-strong dollar, while American energy firms were investing like mad at a time when oil prices were sky high.Retailers come out from cold The most telling report on a busy calendar is retail sales, which accounts for about one-third of consumer spending. Sales have fallen three straight months, the first time that’s happened since 2012. Cheap gasoline prices help explain the declines in December and January — drivers spent a lot less at the pump — and bad weather gets the blame for February. But another bad report in March and the excuses will no longer wash. Early returns, however, suggests as much as a 1% pop in retail sales. Auto dealers sold the most cars in March in four months and sales at large retail chains were also stronger. What’s just as important is that most major retail categories post strong results, not just one or two. Construction on new homes, meanwhile, is expected to snap back in March to an annual rate of more than 1 million units after work plunged in February. Builders were hampered by heavy snow and bitter cold early in the year, especially in the Northeast. The region suffered one of its worst winters since records started being kept 120 years ago. Ultra-low interest rates appear to working their magic. Applications for mortgages have risen three straight weeks and they touched the highest level in early April since mid-2013, suggesting a bounceback in sales of new and previously owned houses. Home sales still remain well below their all-time peak, but every bit helps for an economy whose annual growth has run below 3% for nine straight years — the longest such streak ever. Jeffry Bartash