Greater confidence

The Confidence Index of the American Hardware Manufacturers Association (AHMA) rose in August 2009 by 20.9 to 91.7 points compared with the previous month. This is the highest level since the introduction of the Home Improvement Industry Confidence Index in October 2008. The sales trend is not equally positive, however: 68 per cent of those questioned sold less in August than in the corresponding month of the previous year. For Timothy S. Farrell, president and CEO of AHMA, it is clear that “the hardware/home improvement industry still has a long way to go before it fully recovers from the current worldwide recession”.