Electroindustry Business Confidence Holds At Highest Post-Recession Level Feb 28, 2013

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The February 2013 Electroindustry Business Confidence Index (EBCI) for current North America conditions indicated another month of widespread improvement in the business environment, according to industry association NEMA.

NEMA said panelists' February evaluations of business conditions were strikingly similar to January's. The overall index held at 73.8 in February, its highest point since the end of the recession.

The shares of panelists reporting conditions improved, declined, and staying the same were identical in both January and February:
* improved: 57%
* declined: 10%
* stayed the same: 33%

The EBCI measure of the degree of change in current North American conditions improved for a fifth consecutive month, to stand at +0.9 in February (from +0.7 in January).

The degree of change reading is obtained by asking panelists to report intensity of change on a scale. Which ranges from -5, for deteriorated significantly; through 0, for unchanged; to +5, for improved significantly

NEMA said the EBCI for future North American conditions, standing at 81 in February 2013, remained in "historically elevated territory" even though it was down 5 points from January:
* 66% of respondents expect conditions to improve in the next six months, down slightly from January's 71%
* 5% expect conditions to deteriorate in the next six months; no respondents in the January survey expected conditions to deteriorate

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