The following is an archive of Electroindustry Business Confidence Indices for 2005.

December 2005
NEMA’s Electroindustry Business Confidence Index for current North American conditions dropped to 58.3 points in December from 65.4 a month ago. After spiking to a 17-month high of 83.3 in the immediate aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in September, the index has declined in each of the past three months. Nonetheless, December’s reading was firmly within the range seen over the past 18 to 20 months, a period of very healthy growth for the electroindustry. At the same time, the December EBCI figure for future North American conditions moved back above the 50-point growth threshold to 56.3 points, after slipping to 48.1 a month ago. Full Report ( 279k)

November 2005
NEMA’s Electroindustry Business Confidence Index for current conditions in North America fell for a second straight month in November, slipping to 65.4 points from 71.7 a month ago. The index had reached a 17-month high of 83.3 in the immediate aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in September. Despite the recent declines, November’s reading was still at the high end of its range over the 12 to 15 months prior to September and continues to signal very favorable conditions in the electroindustry. At the same time, though, the EBCI for future North American conditions slipped in November to just below the 50-point growth threshold. At 48.1 points, down from 53.4 a month ago, the index reflects increasing apprehension about conditions six months hence. Full Report ( 283k)

October 2005
NEMA’s Electroindustry Business Confidence Index (EBCI) for current conditions in North America retreated in October from the previous month’s near-record high, but remained strongly positive at 71.7 points. October marked the 30th consecutive month the index has topped the 50-point threshold indicative of growth in the industry. At the same time, respondents showed markedly increased trepidation about the future business environment, with the index for North American confidence six months hence dropping to 53.4 points. While that reading still points to continued electroindustry expansion, the breadth of sentiment is at its lowest ebb since 2001. Full Report ( 286k)

September 2005
September’s hurricanes, Katrina in particular, exacted a terrible toll on the Gulf Coast of the United States in terms of human suffering and property destruction. Their ultimate economic impact is, as yet, difficult to assess. Nonetheless, the region has already begun the recovery effort and the expected demand for equipment to aid in the rebuilding of the region has had a net positive impact on the electroindustry. NEMA’s EBCI for current conditions in North America rose to 83.3 points in September, its highest level since April 2004. That represented a rise of nearly 17 points from the previous month’s reading. Full Report ( 258k)

August 2005
Reflecting other positive indicators of economic and manufacturing activity released in recent days, NEMA’s Electroindustry Business Confidence Index for current conditions in North America climbed to its highest level in more than a year in August. North American business sentiment strengthened to 66.7 points, jumping from July’s 62.9 point reading, and marking the 28th consecutive month in which current conditions have registered in excess of the 50-point threshold indicating sectoral expansion. Results from the future conditions index hinted at more positive news to come, with a reading of 70.4 points, its highest since March of this year. Full Report ( 263k)

July 2005
North American business conditions strengthened in July, according to NEMA’s Electroindustry Business Confidence Index. Current conditions registered 62.9 points, bouncing back from the previous month’s reading of 54.7 points. While July’s increase was certainly encouraging, the index continues to fluctuate within a relatively tight band. Values have ranged from the mid-50s to the low 60s over the last 13 months. This sustained period of favorable conditions is expected to continue, according to electroindustry leaders, as the future conditions index for North America also gained ground in July. The index inched up to 62.9 points itself, from June’s mark of 60.9. Full Report ( 263k)

June 2005
Business conditions facing electrical equipment manufacturers strengthened in June in North America, though improvements were more modest than seen in many months. NEMA’s Electroindustry Business Confidence Index for current conditions, derived from a monthly survey of senior industry executives, registered 54.7 points in June. While that reading was the 26th straight above the 50-point growth threshold, it was the lowest recorded since the index began to signal the current expansion in May 2003. Thus, while more survey respondents than not continue to view conditions as favorable, that majority is at its narrowest in more than two years. The outlook for future sentiment is somewhat stronger, with the EBCI for North American conditions in six months at 60.9 in June. Full Report ( 266k)

May 2005
NEMA’s Electroindustry Business Confidence Index for current conditions in North America continued strong in May, surpassing the 50-point level indicative of growth in the industry for the 25th month in a row. At 63.0, the North America index recorded a gain of almost 8 points from one month ago. In two of the other three regions surveyed, current conditions were viewed as positive by respondents,though confidence retreated from April’s levels. The Latin America and Asia/Pacific indices both remained above the 50-point growth threshold, at 60.0 and 53.3 points, respectively, though both declined by a mild 6 points on the month. Only the Europe index pointed to markedly lower expectations, plunging nearly 28 points to 30.8. Full Report ( 57k)

April 2005
NEMA’s Electroindustry Business Confidence Index for current conditions in North America completed its second consecutive year above the growth threshold of 50 points in April. Indeed, respondents felt optimistic, on balance, about both current and future business conditions across all four regions included in the survey. Not only did current sentiment for North America, at 55.2 points in April, measure greater than 50 for the 24th consecutive month, current conditions indices in all regional markets topped 50 for the fourth month in a row. Full Report ( 263k)

March 2005
Current conditions across all four regions included in the NEMA Business Confidence Survey topped the growth threshold of 50 points for the third consecutive month in March. The North America index climbed nearly five points to 60.4 following a dip in February and marked its 23rd consecutive month at a value of 50 or higher. The Latin America index advanced 10 points from February to 66.7 and has indicated conditions favorable to growth in that market since August 2003. Confidence in current conditions in both Europe and the Asia/Pacific region lost ground in March. The Europe index fell nearly four points to 54.5, while the Asia/Pacific index slid nearly seven points to 63.3. Full Report ( 266k)

February 2005
For the second month in a row, current conditions in all four regions included in the survey exceeded the 50-point threshold suggestive of an environment conductive to growth in the electroindustry. The North America index dropped to 55.6, after topping 60 in each of the three months from November 2004 to January 2005. Nonetheless, February marked the 22nd straight month the index indicated a growing market. The last month in which the North America index dropped below 50 was April 2003, nearly two years ago. Full Report ( 261k)

January 2005
NEMA has released its January 2005 Electroindustry Business Confidence Index. For the first time since October 2004, all four current conditions regional indices surpassed the growth threshold of 50 points. Latin America and Europe expanded from their December readings, while North America and Asia/Pacific essentially remained flat. Broadening by nearly 10 points, the Europe index demonstrated the greatest improvement to reach 56.7 this month, and Latin America improved by nearly four points to 63.8. The breadth of confidence in North America business conditions increased by less than one point to 62.9 while the Asia/Pacific number narrowed by an insignificant 0.2 points to 55.6. Full Report (199k)