Eric Miller/Reuters
A Dallas Cowboys fan wears a giant helmet before the Cowboys play the Minnesota Vikings in their NFL Divisional playoff football game in Minneapolis, Minnesota, January 17, 2010.
Economists forecast that the index ticked down slightly to 19.4 in February.
Last month, the index surprised on the upside. It jumped to 22.1, the highest reading since April 2010, compared to expectations of a downwards slide.
The enthusiasm surrounding US President Donald Trump's election appeared to carry over into the start of 2017. However, one respondent said in the previous report, "We expect President Trump's policies towards NAFTA and Mexico will have a negative impact in the borderland in the next six months."
The measure has held above zero, suggesting an expansion, for four straight months after not registering a reading in positive territory since December 2014 amid the oil-price crash.
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