The housing market may be as bleak as Iowa in February, but the commercial real estate market is looking up. According to the National Association of Realtors, the commercial leading indicator for brokerage activity rose to 120.7 in the second quarter, up 1.1 percent from last year. This is the highest the index has been since it started in 1990. In a press release, the NAR said net absorption of space in industrial and office sectors should be steady for the next six to nine months. The index is composed of 13 variables that reflect future commercial real estate activity.