The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1912-01-02
STABILITY Of RED
METAL QUOTATIONS
One Of Worlds Largest Users
of Metal Goes Over
the Situation. IS

The siene OF change in The general
business conditions OF thu country. and
in the steel and copper Industries in par
ticular, are uumstakable and 1t is cvi-
dent that there Is an Increasing number
Of those who believe that VIC are in for
& period OF good times. There Is still
note Of conse IVA tisn, but IL is unged with
optimism. The National Conduit & Gable
company. whicn is one Of the ,arGcst
consumers Of copper in the world. issues
It's periodical review OF conditions in
hopeful strain. although there is still
some OF the former extreme conservatism
noted in the attitude assumed toward the
recent advance In copper metal prices
We quote from the colnpanys circular
as follows: Says the Boston Financial
News:
The United States has been passing
through a period OF economy and conser-
vstive activity in business and industry
for the last two ycArs or more. but there
arc those who now believe that after the
turn OF The year there should be less re-
.s!riction upon commercial acuvities:
OF the day is favorable, and II is ccr-
tain that sentiment is growing better
The increase in demand for steel products
and lare" prospective orders for railroad
equipment arc encouraginG features
Business on large scale is anticipated
and the conditions which produce such
encr on trade. Increasing exports aud
larger foreign trade balance are also In
evidence. II political conditions improve
enterprise 10 broaden out. The proa-
pccts for Industrial activity in 1912 con
ducted along conservative and economical
lines are good and the country is in posi-
ton 10 look forward to an expansion OF
general trade.
Increase in Trade.
There has been a decided increase in
trade interest in copper. and recent large
sales at advancing prices indicate a def
mite Improvement In sentiment regarding
this metal both In this country and
Europe, The market records Increased
ness which has been booked during the
last few weeks has placed the market in
the strongest position In many months
Last month electrolytic prices were ad-
period the buying movement was heavy.
particularly for European account. After
burins relaxed there were indications OF
an easier tone in the market. but wnen
the Copper Producers report Tor Novem-
her showed q decrease in stocks OF this
countr.. of 2a.2l2,45f pounds, there WAS
an carly advance In the selling price to
123 cents. Later developments caused a
further raise in price TO IA cents.
It is not unlikely lyrtIs1 that the ,su, next few
prices, as inquiries were increasing In
g. way indicating new requirements for
substantial quantities The bulk, Of re-
count, but sales 10 local manufacturers
may possibly become more OF a feature
between now and February ]. Domestic
consumers have been accustomed 10 act
With such extreme caution since 1907 that
II is not surprising IL they want TO see
some convincing proof that the copper
situation is actually sound before they
buy on maximum scale
Output for November.
According to the December tstcmcnt
by the Copper Producers association the
output Of marketable copper in this coun-
rG Try anring M9NemDsr rcd , was Only al;SS9l
In Novembet. 1910. decrease OF I,s76 $50
pounds. 1t should be borne In mind very
carefully that the Producers statement
do not report the quantity of copper
actually mined each month. Now, II is
capable of easy proof that the producing
properties and the quantity of copper I'm
ported for treatment in this country
would make larger combined total than
the refinery. fsuros showed up for last
month. 1t Is not for the sake OF being
over-critical that we draw attention 10
the fact that the mining output and the
refinery production Of marketable copper
der that the mind may not be allowed 10
become confused over the statistics by
whirh, the trade arc asked TO judge the
situation.
The events OF the last few days prove
how quickly markets can change und er
the impulse OF favorable developments,
! ne Improvement IN the copper market iH
largely owing TO the prevalence OF more
optimistic sentiment in business circles
and the stimulus OF heavier buying than
has been customary during the long
period of depression. The belief gains
ground shat II production is kept at a
healthy level copper stands good chance
cg bringing higher average next year
than In 1911, but II output should begin
10 exceed demand to the extent II has
done In the recent past there will be
in price II the present upward move
ment rests upon a sound basis II must
be demonstrated tGst supply and demand
been In the last three years. In the
meantime buyers are taking good deal
on faith. out il this conidence is we'll
placed they VIII enter no objections 10
whatever strength the market can show
Prices have made sensational advances
lately. with electrolytic quoting as high