NEMA’s EBCI Index for Current Conditions Drops 15 Points; Future Index Holds Steady

After improving by more than 20 points in July, NEMA’s Electroindustry Business Conditions Index (EBCI) for current conditions in North America declined by 15 points in August to settle at 52.5 points.

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 held steady at 55, following a modest improvement in July. Thirty-five percent of panelists expect business conditions to improve over the next six months, up from 30% last month. Still, 25%  expect them to deteriorate, up from 20% in July. Forty percent expect little change in the business environment between now and early 2016.