The Glasgow courier. [volume] (Glasgow, Mont.) 1913-current, 1921-01-21
BUSINESS PROSPECTS BRIGHTER

The majority of the people of tn
far west, may not be so very keenly in
terested in the New York Stock Maj
ket, and the different other market
conditions of the great American
metropolis, but the conditions at the
great money marts nevertheless prove
invariably a pretty fair barometer OF
trade and conditions. The movements
of the New York markets have an al
most direct effect on all lines of bust
ness in all parts of the nation and the
continent. Disinterest disregarded, it is
encouraging indeed to note the follow
ing facts about New York at the pre-
sent time.
Stocks of all kinds are going up and
have been since the first of the year.
The wise ones on the stock market
claim that they can see prosperity
ahead in the very near future.
Wheat is the base of food supply of
a hundred and ten million people. The
price of wheat is higher this week
thar it has been since the first of Jam
uary, 1920. When basic commodities
begin to rise, it carries encouragement
all along the line.
A good many concerns and individ-
udlS AZ lIloIc VI 1888 lIIltIS SlSd II III
money market. Money is now six per
cent on call. as opposed to fifteen per
cent only a month or six weeks ago.
Foreign trade has its effect on the
general trade conditions of the coun-
try. Sterling has bounded up twenty
points in the last fifteen days. Other
exchanges have improved also, which
means that the markets of the world
are opening up again to American pro-
ducts.
The balance of trade indicates that
Europe is beginning to produce and
that the world is getting down to work
and getting into a position to consume
American manufactured articles and
raw materials.
Politically, the nation faces unpre-
cedented brightness. The new admin
istration at Washington is about to
go into office with seven million votes
behind it. This is an indication of on
fdence unparalleled in the history of
the country, and confidence after all
is the basis of business activity.
Unemployment is another vital ques-
ton which shows decided improvement
factories, textile mills and tire fac
tories of the east have readjusted their
wage scales and are opening up on a
new level, which is about twenty per
cent below that of a few months ago,
but still a very healthy average above
the pre-war basis.
In economies, it begins at present
to look as though America has liquid
ated her stocks ahead of the rest of the
world, and has eased up her credit stu
alton so as to reach a buying level for
the
Another marked indication of new
confidence in New York is the fact that
retail buyers are already flocking to
the New York markets, and are plac-
ing orders for their spring stocks, thus
indicating that they have placed them
selves in readiness for the new price
level. 1t must be borne in mind, too
that these new price levels are by no
means a return to the pre-war stan
dard the new level will remain at least
500 over the pre-war figures.
All this simply goes to further indi-
cate that the silver lining is peeping
from beneath the cloud of recent de-
preston, and that it is altogether like
ly that the opening of the summer
months will see the entire nation well
toward established conditions.