The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1907-03-03
TRADE IMPROVES
ALL WAY AROUND
Impetus Furnished By Return
of Favorable Weather
IRON AND STEEL BRISK
Cotton Goods Situation of Tremendous
strcnetI1-Print Cloths Selling
at the Highest Prices
for a Generation.
IRON AND STEEL BRISK
New York. March s.-Bradstreet's today

New York, March 2.-Bradstreets today
said
Trade has improved all around, the
impetus being furnished by the return
of more favorable weather, the presence
of country merchants in leading markets
and the near approach of the Easter holt
days. It is significant that business placed
In most lines and sections during the past
five months exceeds that of year ago,
I very active period. Opinions as to the
outlook for the second half of Tie year
vary, yet it is felt that a pause would
not be unwelcome-in fact would have
a SOLDERING effect on many lines that are
now sold far ahead and for which con-
tracing still continues.
Finished lines of iron and stee! are
- brisk as heretofore. though pig iron
.llrkets are quiet, which is not IN
aasoua BILE in view of high prices. and
ne heavy contracts placed earlier in
the seas Winter wheat returns are
not So favorable. Shipments of fertilizers
10 southern points are heavier and a
largely increased acreage will be planted
In cotton
Collections are somewhat backward.
Southwestern sections are especially fla
vored central western points report more
doing, southern advices are of increased
activity, except at n few points. and the
/ situation in the northwest, where the
weather conditions have been felt most,
| is improving.
The cotton goods situation is one of
tremendous present strength, print cloths
! in,
ton, and all other products from yarn to
the frest cloths selling at almost I'M
| remembered prices.
The doubtful features arc the POSSIBLE
| ties as TO next seasons crop. If it is very
large, present prices for next years cot
/ ton goods may not hold, and experienced
/ men profess themselves at loss to de-
! eide as to future sales and prices.
/ The wool market displays marked FIRM
] ness and more activity has developed in
domestic as well as foreign grades. Stocks
! OF domestic wool are very low, and the
impression is that every pound will be
| cleaned up at full prices before the new
| clip is available.
! Cuban sugar production and shipments
| are very large, and cane sugar prices are
| still far below IA parity with European
beet sugar, but the claim Is made that
| the tide has turned aud certainly raw
sugar is fractionally higher here than a
week ago. There has been very strong
market for coffee futures.
Business failures in the United States
for the week ending February % number
! 1874 against III last week and $50 In
the same week of 1906, Canadian failures
for the week number Is, as against ID last
week and 80 in this week a year ago.
Wheat, including flour, exports from
the United States and Canada for the
week ending February Is aggregate 2,Sob-
49o bushels, against 2,992 i91 last week and
230O,476 this week last year.
For the past So weeks OF the fiscal year
the exports are 121.673,52s bushels, against
! 9i,57S 672 in 1905-06.
Corn exports for the week, $3.50, 4a6
bushels, against LESS eS last week and
3,767 ,O63 year ago.
For the fiscal year to date the exports
are 42.6S36ll bushels of corn, against "a
123, us bushels in 1926,