The recent growth slowdown has put the U.S. economy on a path for a long, hardperiod of adjustment, an ASB Capital Management economist said Thursday. Experts from ASB Capital Management and Chevy Chase Trust met Thursday afternoon to add a local flavor to national economic forecasts for 2001-2002. "The economy already appears to have transited through the soft-landing scenario growth rate of 2-3%", said Thomas Carpenter, chief economist of ASBCM. According to Carpenter, a three to five quarter "hard landing" is in store with growth rates expected between 2% and -2%.