Economists with the University of Montana Bureau of Business stopped off in the Magic City on Wednesday to present their latest research on the local economy.

They say that while Montana's economy has weathered the current recession better than the rest of the country, we're not out of the woods yet. UM researchers issued a reminder that the recession continues to hamper Montana's economy and that the recovery will be slow.

Yellowstone County's economy is in line for its slowest growth since 1988 and while local businesses have fared better than what was forecast in February, the outlook for the next two years is not as rosy.

"The major impact of construction of this recession in Yellowstone County has been on construction" said UM Director of Economic Research Paul Polzin. "There has been a significant decline in residential construction. Their has been a little less decline in non residential construction."

Polzin added that Yellowstone County actually fared better than most other Montana counties as the Kalispell and Missoula areas have witnessed the steepest decline in growth.