HIGH POINT, N.C. (AP) — This year may be a turning point for the furniture industry, which has taken an especially hard hit during the recession as credit was limited and people put big-ticket purchases on hold to pay monthly bills.

That’s the growing sentiment for about 75,000 industry insiders who this week crowded into High Point for the world’s largest furniture trade show in a city built by furnishings. The past couple of months have seen a collection of government and private data pointing to what seems to be a brightening U.S. economy. Inflation is low. Homebuilder confidence is at its highest level in six years and retail shoppers are spending more.