NEMA’s EBCI Index Stays Bullish in May

The current conditions component of the EBCI remained essentially flat in May, ticking down by a statistically imperceptible 0.7 points from April to a value of 60 points for last month. Panel member commentary largely supported the numerical results, with mostly positive remarks about activity levels, but they did have concerns about trade and raw material costs.

The Electroindustry Business Conditions Index (EBCI) 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 rather than declining.

Panel members’ expectations for conditions six months out was uniformly upbeat, though not overly exuberant, as the future conditions component expanded from 64.3 points in April to 66.7 points in May.