North American Business Conditions Readings Retreat Modestly in October

Nov 12, 2009 3:22 PM

Rosslyn, Va.-based National Electrical Manufacturers Association's (NEMA) Electroindustry Business Confidence Index (EBCI) for current North American conditions lost ground in October for the first time in four months, falling 6.7 points. Nonetheless, at 51.9, the index managed to breach the critical 50-point threshold for the third straight month, suggesting at least a modest improvement in industry conditions relative to September.

The EBCI for future North American conditions also slipped in October, declining 7.4 points to 61.5. While a sizable proportion of industry leaders continue to expect further improvement in the business environment during the next six months, anecdotal comments suggest that the degree of improvement is largely seen as limited.

To read the full October 2009 report, download the pdf from the NEMA Web site.

The EBCI gauges the business confidence of the electroindustry in Asia, Europe, North America, and Latin America, and is based on the results of a monthly survey of senior managers at NEMA member companies. Those companies represent more than 80% of the electroindustry.