A recent report from the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) shows Wyoming's personal income grew at a rate of 0.4 percent during the third quarter of 2017.

That rate was lower than the 0.6 percent growth rate for the Rocky Mountain region, with includes Colorado, Utah, Montana, and Idaho as well as Wyoming. The Wyoming growth rate also trailed the overall U.S. growth rate of 0.7 percent over the third quarter.

But even though Wyoming's growth lagged behind both the regional and national averages, Senior Wyoming Economist Jim Robinson says he considers the report ''fairly good news.''

Robinson points out that 17 of the state's 24 industries that are included in the report showed improvement. That included the critical mining sector, which grew by 1.6 percent in Wyoming, or about $40 million. Wholesale trade grew by 2.5 percent, or about $21 million.

Robinson also says the fact that the quarter marked the third consecutive such report that showed quarter-over-quarter growth in the state is good news.

He says that is a sign that the state economy is continuing a recent trend of growth following a lag caused mostly by low energy prices.

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