Published
Finishing Activity Contracted in December, Up 1.3 from November’s 43.6
Finishing activity posted its first uptick, in this case, a slight slowing of contraction, since August 2023.
The Gardner Business Index (GBI): Finishing, in contraction mode since April 2023, closed the year with a marginally encouraging reading.
- Optimism about future business, while not part of the GBI calculation, increased in December, providing another sign of encouragement.
- Slowed contraction in new orders and backlog drove the change in the overall Finishing index.
- Production, employment and exports contracted at the same rate in December as November.
- As anticipated, supplier deliveries were ‘flat’ in December, meaning as many deliveries were longer as were shorter.
The Gardner Business Index (GBI): Finishing
![Finishing activity showed its first slowing of contraction since August 2023.](https://d2n4wb9orp1vta.cloudfront.net/cms/brand/PF/2024-PF/2023-10- PF - Web Total1.png;maxWidth=720)
Finishing activity showed its first slowing of contraction since August 2023.
Key Component Activity
![Slowed contraction in new orders and backlog drove December’s Finishing index while business expectations grew more optimistic.](https://d2n4wb9orp1vta.cloudfront.net/cms/brand/PF/2024-PF/2023-10- PF - Web Prod-NO1.png;maxWidth=720)
Slowed contraction in new orders and backlog drove December’s Finishing index while business expectations grew more optimistic.