AMERICAN HARDWARE MANUFACTURERS ASSOCIATION
Terrence V. Gallagher
Manager of Communications
801 North Plaza Drive
Schaumburg, Illinois 60173
847-592-3504
tgallagher@ahma.org

P.R. # AHMA10-02

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

AHMA Launches New Home Improvement Industry Dashboard

The dashboard presents 18 economic indicators driving the industry … all on one webpage

Schaumburg, Illinois, January 25, 2010 — The American Hardware Manufacturers Association (AHMA) today announced the launch of an important new information service for the home improvement industry: The AHMA Home Improvement Industry Dashboard.

The AHMA Home Improvement Industry Dashboard is constantly updated to present the most recent economic indicators and research findings affecting the home improvement industry. In addition to AHMA’s own Home Improvement Industry Confidence Index and The Hard Fax Composite of Home Improvement Industry Stocks, 16 additional important driving metrics for the industry including housing data, retail sales, wholesale sales and broader macroeconomic data are all presented on one webpage for easy reference.

Timothy S. Farrell, President and Chief Executive Officer of the American Hardware Manufacturers Association, said: “The new AHMA Home Improvement Industry Dashboard is the most recent example of how AHMA fulfills its mission of being the most valuable resource to manufacturers in the home improvement industry. We feel this new service will provide not only our member companies, but the entire industry, with an extremely valuable strategic tool for evaluating trends so that well informed business decisions can be made.”

The 18 economic indicators making up the AHMA Home Improvement Industry Dashboard include:

• Home Improvement Retail Sales
• Home Improvement Industry Confidence Index
• Existing Home Sales
• New Home Sales
• Housing Starts
• Building Permits
• Pending Home Sales
• 30-Year Fixed Mortgage Rates
• Builder Confidence Index
• Gross Domestic Product (GDP)
• Unemployment Rate
• Consumer Confidence Index
• Consumer Price Index (CPI)
• Consumer Spending (PCE)
• Manufacturing ISM Report on Business
• Wholesale Sales (Durable Goods)
• Dow Jones Industrial Average (DOW)
• The Hard Fax Composite

About the American Hardware Manufacturers Association (AHMA)

AHMA is a globally focused trade association of manufacturers, or providers, of hardware, home improvement, lawn and garden, paint and decorating, building and construction and related products, as well as manufacturers’ representative’s agencies and trade publications.

AHMA offers many valuable member and industry programs, services and activities including the AHMA Hardlines Technology Forum, AHMA / USA International Pavilions, AHMA Advantage GPO, The Hard Fax: Home Improvement Industry News, The Hard Fax International: Home Improvement Industry News from Around the World, the AHMA Home Improvement Industry Confidence Index, the AHMA Home Improvement Industry Dashboard, Government Relations Programs, Member Benefit Vendor Programs, the AHMA Hardware Industry Relief Effort (HIRE) and the AHMA / Habitat for Humanity Partnership.

For more information about AHMA, please visit www.ahma.org.

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