NEMA’s Electroindustry Business Conditions Index (EBCI) for current conditions in North America measured 44.7 points in October as a larger share of panelists reported conditions deteriorated (32%) than reported they improved (21%). Forty-seven percent of panelists said the business environment was unchanged. The October EBCI represented an increase from 42.5 points in September. In September, 30% of panelists claimed business conditions worsened, while 15% reported they improved and 55% stated they were unchanged.
The EBCI Index is a monthly survey of senior executives at electrical manufacturers published by the National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA), Rosslyn, Va. Any score over the 50-point level indicates a greater number of panelists see conditions improving than see them deteriorating.
The EBCI for future North American conditions climbed sharply to 68.4 points in October after measuring 52.5 points in September. A substantially larger share of panelists in October (53%) expects conditions to improve over the next six months than was the case in September (25%). In contrast, a smaller share in October (16%) expects future conditions will deteriorate than was the case in September (20%). The share expecting to see no change in business conditions also fell, dropping to 32% in October from 55% in September.
