Economics
Contraction slows for second month, with some indicators improving
In September new orders and employment were up slightly, future business outlook improved and material prices dropped.
Mike Shirk
Senior Market Research Analyst, Gardner Intelligence
Composites GBI shows faster activity contraction
The total index reading backed down in May from its anticipated expansion, contracting again to land at 46.8.
Read MoreGBI activity knocks at the door of expansion in April
While the Composites Fabricating index still contracted in April, it continues to close in on a reading of 50, which indicates expansion.
Read MoreComposites industry activity meaningfully slowed contraction in March
The GBI: Composites Fabricating still contracted in March, though it landed just one point shy of 50, which could eventually lead it into expansion territory.
Read MoreComposites industry GBI stayed the course in February
The GBI: Composites Fabricating contracted in February to the same degree as January, maintaining its position in a contraction zone.
Read MoreComposites industry activity stayed steady in January
The GBI: Composites Fabricating contracted in January to about the same degree it did in December, representing a move in the right direction.
Read MoreComposites industry gained back some ground in December
The GBI: Composites Fabricating contracted a little more slowly in December, landing between August and September 2023 values.
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Composites activity still contracting, but slower than previous month
Future business outlook has improved but most other measures have continued contraction or remain “flat.”
Mike Shirk
Senior Market Research Analyst, Gardner Intelligence
Composites industry heads into slightly accelerated contraction in November
The GBI: Composites Fabricating in November continued its general slow-going path of contraction that began in April 2023.
Read MoreComposites industry saw stabilized contraction in October
The GBI: Composites Fabricating index has contracted for the seventh month in a row, with one notable change in component activity.
Read MoreComposites activity returned with accelerated contraction in September
The GBI: Composites contracted faster again in September, closing down 1.6 points to 45.9, the lowest the index has been in more than 2 years.
Read MoreContraction in composites industry activity slowed in August
The GBI: Composites contracted again in August, but closed up 1.1 points from July, ending 5 straight months of a downward trend.
Read MoreComposites industry GBI contracted faster in July
The GBI: Composites maintains its consistent downward trend for the fifth month in a row.
Read MoreComposites GBI lost a little ground in June
The GBI: Composites has contracted since April, just barely remaining within a two-point range of 50.
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Composites activity contracted faster for the third month in a row
GBI: Composites Fabricating landed at 41.6, becoming one of the index’s more significant declines in 2024 so far.
Jan Schafer
Director of Market Research
Composites GBI remains relatively unchanged in May
The GBI: Composites closed May at the same reading reported in April, with some minor fluctuations in component activity.
Read MoreGBI: Composites Fabricating contracted in April
The Gardner Business Index closed April down 1.1 points, continuing its journey from expansion in February, to flat in March and ultimately contracting in April.
Read MoreComposites industry index was flat for March
The GBI: Composites Fabricating closed March flat, losing 1.3 of the 3.1 points gained in February.
Read MoreComposites industry index ends February in growth mode
The GBI: Composites Fabricating closed February at the same level it was in November 2022, right before experiencing a rare two months of contraction.
Read MoreComposites Index shows little change in January
The GBI: Composites Fabricating closed January at around the same contractionary reading in December, with a majority of components following suit.
Read MoreDemand components lead to composites GBI contraction
For the first time in two years, the Composites Fabricating Index has contracted, though components continue to shift between expanding and contracting activity.
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Composites industry activity continued to contract faster in June
Composites Fabricating’s second month of contraction, also reflected in other industry segments, suggests larger factors are at play.
Jan Schafer
Director of Market Research
Composites Index rebounds in November
The GBI: Composites Fabricating closed November up nearly two points, registering expanding activity versus October’s close call with contraction.
Read MoreComposites GBI is headed toward contraction
The GBI: Composites Fabricating in October continued its deceleration trend, though it fared better than most of the manufacturing industry.
Read MoreGBI: Composites Fabricating approaches contraction in September
The GBI: Composites Fabricating closed September on the verge of “flat,” a reading the Index has not seen in two years.
Read MoreComposites industry GBI holds its own in August
The GBI: Composites Fabricating ended August with slowed expansion but managed to stay above water, with all component indices continuing to show slowed rates of growth.
Read MoreComposites industry perpetuates deceleration trend into July
The Composites Fabricating Index continues to experience slowed growth in a majority of its components, inching closer to a reading of “50.”
Read MoreComposites industry continues early 2022 trends into June
As in May, a majority of the components in the Gardner Business Index (GBI): Composites Fabricating continue movement into slowed expansionary growth.
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