The US economy is improving, albeit very slowly. At the beginning of the month, it was worries over the Euro and Greece that drove the markets down; now it is the continued worry over the BP gusher in the Gulf of Mexico.
While the US economy is adding jobs, it is at a very slow pace. In fact, many new jobs were in the Public Sector, brought about by the temporary hiring of census workers in the US. Unemployment has improved in 37 states, while the others are still suffering.