This quarter’s Business Sentiments Index™ of 141.8 reflects the continued optimism of Alberta entrepreneurs. The substantial increase (8.6%) in the Business Activity Index, standing at 121.0, shows that the Alberta economy is emerging from the economic downturn. This compares with a level of 111.4 last quarter, but is still below pre-recession levels. The Business Hiring Index of 119.2 is a slight improvement over the last quarter, when the index stood at 117.4.