DALLAS, 24 July 2012 – The National Association of Home Builders reported on 17 July 2012 that home builder confidence jumped more in the last month than it has in nearly a decade.

According to the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) Housing Market Index (HMI) for July, it is the highest it has been since March 2007. Builder confidence rose six points on the index to 35. Every industry component and every region recorded gains.

“Builder confidence increased by solid margins in every region of the country in July as views of current sales conditions, prospects for future sales and traffic of prospective buyers all improved,” said Barry Rutenberg, NAHB chairman and home builder from Gainesville, Fla. “This is greater evidence that the housing market has turned the corner as more buyers perceive the benefits of purchasing a newly built home while interest rates and prices are so favorable.”

How will the struggling economy and reports of low consumer confidence impact the recovery of the Building, Construction, Home and Repair Sector in the exhibition industry? We have already seen an increase in gas prices as a result of the drought impacting crops and the production of ethanol. How will the shortage of corn, a key ingredient in ethanol, impact the Transportation sector?

President and CEO of the Association of Equipment Manufacturers Dennis Slater said, “The building, construction and transportation industries are on the long road to recovery after being hit harder than most businesses during the Great Recession. However, as these industries climb out of this historic recession, they face U.S. economic growth that is sluggish and uneven. What are the prospects for these sectors in the face of such economic headwinds?

“While many of the businesses in these sectors lost 30-50% of their business during the Great Recession, there is a general feeling of optimism that should translate into significant opportunities for growth in the exhibitions that serve these markets,” continues Slater. “However, the strength of this recovery depends on many factors – both domestic and globally – that will determine if the recovery continues, falls back or even accelerates.”

C-level organizers are invited to attend Predict: CEIR’s Annual Outlook Conference, 13 September 2012, at 10 on the Park at Time Warner Center, in New York City, to hear the rest of the story on this topic, as well as other sectors of the exhibition industry. Visit the event’s website to learn more about the program and apply to attend. For more information about CEIR Predict visit www.ceir.org/predict or contact Executive Director Cathy Breden, CAE, CMP at cbreden@ceir.org or +1 (972) 687-9201.

CEIR sincerely appreciates the support it has received from sponsors of this year’s Predict.

Title Sponsors

• Global Experience Specialists (GES)
• Visit Houston

 
Platinum Sponsors

• Freeman
• Orange County Convention Center
• Visit Orlando

Gold Sponsors

• Jordan Edmiston Group, Inc.
• Metro Toronto Convention Centre
• New Orleans Convention & Visitors Bureau
• Reed Exhibitions

Event Sponsors

• Access Intelligence
• a2z, Inc.
• bXb Online
• Convention News Television (CNTV)
• Experient
• Georgia World Congress Center
• Global Spectrum
• Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority
• McCormick Place/SMG
• Trade Show Executive
• Wyndham Jade

About CEIR
The Center for Exhibition Industry Research (CEIR) serves to advance the growth, awareness and value of exhibitions and other face-to-face marketing events by producing and delivering research-based knowledge tools that enable stakeholder organizations to enhance their ability to meet current and emerging customer needs, improve their business performance and strengthen their competitive position. For additional information, go to www.ceir.org.

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Media Contact:
Susan Brower, CMM, CCP
sbrower@ceir.org
+1 (972) 687-9207