The national recession is over, but the state and national economies continue to struggle to generate job growth. What will next year bring?

Economists will explore the forecast for 2004 at the 10th annual West Virginia Economic Outlook Conference at 8 a.m. Thursday, Nov. 13, 2003, at the Charleston Marriott. The event is sponsored by the Bureau of Business and Economic Research in the West Virginia University College of Business and Economics.

David A. Wyss, chief economist at Standard&Poors, will discuss the outlook for the national economy, and George W. Hammond, acting BBER director, will present his forecast for the state. A panel of industry experts will explore the outlook for major sectors of the West Virginia economy.

Conference attendees also receive a copy of the West Virginia Economic Outlook 2004, a publication filled with state economic data and analysis.

For registration information, visit http://www.bber.wvu.edu or contact Patricia Bohon at 304-293-7831 or patricia.bohon@mail.wvu.edu . Regular registration is $60 per person ($75 after Nov. 3) and $25 for students with valid identification.

The conference is made possible by the following underwriters: American Electric Power; the Chambers Endowed Program for Electronic Business; Charleston Daily Mail; The Charleston Gazette; Citigroup Global Markets; Crews&Associates Inc.; Ferris, Baker Watts Inc.; The State Journal; and the West Virginia Department of Tax and Revenue.