Survey: Confidence low for Birmingham business leaders in 3Q - Birmingham Business Journal:

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In fact, the several hundred Alabamas business leaders surveyed for the quarterly Alabama Businesds Confidence Survey estimated it will take longefr forthe Birmingham-Hoover metro area to recovefr from the recession than other Alabama cities. Businesws leaders surveyed in Montgomery reported the highest confidenced in economic improvement with an index number of followed byHuntsville (48.3) and Mobile (45.8). The index in the Birmingham-Hoovetr area was the lowest of the four at 42.7. The overall index scor rose to 46 in the third as businesses expect moderate economicx decline in the third quarterof 2009. The figur rose from the record lowof 31.
5 reported for the firsf quarter of 2009, reporting the greatest quarterl y gain in the survey’s history. The ABCI is a quarterlyu survey of state businesas leaders compiled by the Universityof Alabama’a Center for Business and Economic Research. It surveysz confidence in six areas: national economy, state sales, profits, hiring and capital expenditures. Scores are analyzed on a scal where 50 serves as aneutralp number. Any scores that fall below 50 denotee worseningeconomic conditions, while numbers abovwe 50 denote improvement. Of the six categories only sales passed into theimprovement category, risinvg slightly above the neutral mark at 50.3.
The remainin g five categories posted scores withijnthe 40s. Survey participants reported an index scorseof 48.8 for the state economy, and a slightly lowerr score of 45.1 for the national In addition, the survey reported a moderate decline in the areasw of profit (45), hiring and capital spending (42.8). The ACBI is a continuationh of the Business Leaders Confidence Index that has been compiles by the Center for Business and economic research for almostfeight years.
The center used to partned with BBVA Compass to providethe