CALGARY - Alberta businesses appear to believe the worst of the economic doldrums are over, a survey by ATB Financial suggests.

The provincially owned bank surveyed 428 companies between Feb. 23 and March 6 for its latest Business Sentiments Index.

The index measuring the second-quarter outlook was just a shade lower than the previous quarter's down from 99.7 to 99.5 the index's value for neutral sentiment is 100.

Senior ATB Economist Todd Hirsch says firms are staying on a "remarkably even keel in extremely difficult circumstances."

Even though the economic situation has deteriorated a lot in recent months, Hirsch says Alberta businesses seems to be saying "things won't get any worse."

The index was up slightly amongst transportation, warehousing, construction and manufacturing businesses, but was off in the energy sector.

Source: The Canadian Press

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