In August the index rose by 0.6 points to 48.9. Three-month averages for production, employment, and exports ticked up slightly from July, signaling a modest positive trend for shops. Meanwhile, new orders and backlog held steady. Compared to August of last year, three-month averages improved across all components except exports.

Shops remain cautious with capital expenditures, holding off on major investments. Average spending intentions have been declining since December 2024 and now sit at their lowest level in four years.

Gardner Business Index (GBI) – August 2025

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The GBI Components Scorecard reports the monthly change rate of primary moldmaking market factors contributing to the overall monthly index reading.

Reading the Scorecard: Color indicates where a component value falls relative to 50 for the current month. Green indicates expansion; red indicates contraction.

Shade indicates a value's distance from 50; the darker the shade, the further from 50.

Direction indicates a value's change versus the previous period. Pointing up is always better. A square denotes little or no movement in the reading.

Components Scorecard – August 2025

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 GBI Spending Intentions