The Gardner Business Index (GBI) closed 2019 at 47.8, indicating a slightly faster pace of contracting business conditions as compared to November. While the Gardner Business Index ended 2019 with a year low reading of 47.8, certain sectors of the manufacturing industry continue to impress; one must simply know where to look. Gardner Intelligence’s review of the underlying data for the month observed that the Index – calculated as an average of its components – was lifted by expanding activity in supplier deliveries and modestly contracting activity in new orders, employment and exports. The Index was pulled lower by production and backlog readings which reported quickening contraction. Among the over 20 end markets tracked by Gardner, five stood out during 2019. The fastest growing industry was aerospace followed by medical manufacturing.
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