LANSING, Mich. — The U.S. economy should grow only moderately over the next two years, generating just enough jobs to slowly reduce unemployment, University of Michigan economists said Thursday. The reserved assessment comes with the nation grappling with a sluggish job market and still-moribund housing market. Motor vehicle sales provide a bright spot, as the economists expect foreign and domestic automakers to sell nearly a million more cars and trucks next year.

“Job gains have picked up a notch, consumer sentiment has recouped about half the ground lost this summer and the chances of another downturn have diminished,” economist Joan Crary said in a statement. “History shows, however, that it is much more difficult to recover after a financial crisis like the Great Recession than it is after a more typical recession, and policymakers are still struggling with ways to restore balance to the economy.”