The results fell short of the forecast released last October, and the deterioration in the second half of the year looks set to continue or worsen.

No sooner had the gloomy new forecast been released than the State Capitol became absorbed in talk of raising more tax revenue.

Two economic forecasts released this week provide a much harsher outlook.

The latest economic forecast by the budget office, released last week, sliced that figure to something less than $600 billion, Republican budget strategists said this week.

A forecast released in February 2004 by the Bureau of Labor Statistics said the fastest growing occupation until 2012 will be medical assistants.

Ms. Tyson said an examination of the Administration's economic forecast released last week showed "there actually is room for some increase before year's end."

The company said that it expected to earn a net 10.7 billion yen ($88.3 million) this year, 27 percent less than forecasts released in August.

The banks' own forecasts for this year, also released today, underscore that.

The forecast, released late Wednesday, calls for normal to above-normal rain in most big growing areas.

The National Weather Service's 6-to-10-day forecast, released late Friday, called for dry, cool weather for the rest of the week.