The Washington herald., 1921-01-31
WEEKLY REVIEW
SHOWS BETTER
TRADING TONE
Bradstreet Reports Some
Improvement in Retail
Business.
OPINIONS DIFFER
R. G. Dun & Co. Look for Slow
And Irregular Trend To-
ward Better Business.
OPINIONS DIFFER

According to Bradstreet's weekly
statement there is evident a widen
ing circle of improvement through.
out the country. More lines of trade
and more sections of the country
are participating in this improve
ment. Wholesale and retail trade
are each slightly better. and the
Industrial situation on balance
seems to show no loss in employ
ment, increased running time in
leading textile and shoe manufac-
turing centers probably offsetting
l9ss in the railway industry. That
great irregularity is still shown.
and that buyers are cautious as
rarely in recent years, is, however,
proved by a measure of quieting
down and possibly temporary ease
in prices of some cotton goods and
in some grades of hides, while, on
the other hand. lines hitherto not
manifesting much interest, now re-
Fort more strength.
Buying as a whole is still eau
tious, both at wholesale and retail,
but while some lessening of the
urge to buy is reported at some
markets in staple cottons, possibly
due to marked weakness in raw
Cottons, there are. on the other
hand, more advices of buyers TAX
ing spring lines and of salsemen
finding retailers and jobbers more
inclined to buy than they were
while ago. Perhaps best reports
still come from leading Eastern
markets, but there is more doing
at the West, following evidences
last week and this OF increased
selling by farmers of grain and
livestock, and even this of in
creased selling by farmers of grain
and livestock. and even the Southern
markets show a better tone, if not
an actual enlargement of sales.
Commodity Prices.
Commodity prices this week have
continued to recede, declines out
numbering advances over four to
one and the food index falling to
the lowest point since late January
of 1917. Farm products and ami
mails show most weakness.
This weeks food index number.
based on the prices per pound of
thirty-one articles used for food,
is 1891, which compares with 1895
last week and $50 for the week
ending January %. 1920. This
weeks number shows a loss of IL
per cent from last week and of
35.1 per cent from the like week Of
last year.
Dun's Views.
According to r. G. Dun & Co,
the trend toward better business
continues slow and irregular. AS
sentiment strengthens. there is a
gradually increasing inclination to
undertake conservative commit
ments for the future, and new buy
ing is most evident in those lines
where prices seem to be approach
ing a point OF stabilization. While
the latter condition as yet prevails
in comparatively few instances, the
preponderance of declines in whole
than recently. and signs are not
lacking that the dehation has about
run its course in certain markets.
The general Indications, however,
are now rather more encouraging,
and there is a growing disposition
to view the outlook with confidence.
of the recovering
movement in sterling exchange has
been a feature in financial circles,
the remittance rate on London,
mainly under the influence of scar
city Of bills, touching the highest
level since last summer.
Commercial failures this week in
the United States as reported by
Dun e. Co. are 1856. against 4S5 last
week, 5l4 in the preceding week,
and 1876 the corresponding week last
year. Failures in Canada number
IS, against II last week, A the pre-
ceding week, and % last year.