Moldmaking Index Takes a Small Step Back to 48.8 in July

Moldmaking Index

The Moldmaking Index fell 0.8 points to land at 48.8 in July.

The Gardner Business Index (GBI) measures the current state of moldmaking activity through survey responses covering new orders, production, backlog, employment, exports and supplier deliveries. A reading above 50 indicates expansion; below 50 indicates contraction.

July was a rather lackluster month for the GBI, with the Moldmaking Index losing 0.8 points for a minor drop to 48.8. Three-month averages for most index components gained ground over June. Supplier deliveries and employment were exceptions but their decreases were minimal. The three-month average for the Future Business Index improved for the first time since January and remains well above the mark for July of the last three years.

Components Scorecard

Three-month averages for supplier deliveries and employment failed to exceed June results and employment was the only component that did not improve from July 2024.

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.

Future Business Index

The Future Business Index improved for the first time since January with a three-month average of 62.5.

The GBI Future Business Index is an indicator of the future state of the moldmaking market from industry respondents regarding their opinion of future business conditions for the next 12 months. Over 50 is expansion and under 50 is contraction.

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