The Washington times., 1922-07-15
DULLNESS| IN
TRADE. NOTED
!. DURING WEEK
General Business Conditions
Quieter Due to Seasonal
Du;lnes:.

Seasonal dullness is advanced as
the chief reason for the slowing up
OF general business conditions during
the past week. according to the
weekly reviews Of Dun and Brad
street. Bradstreet's weekly food in
dex number declined s per cent,
while Dun's list of wholesale prices
showed 32 advances against "a de-
clines.
Bradstreet's food index number
stood at 1924, compared with 1925
at the close of last week. OF the
eigihty-one commodities Of all kinds
quoted, fifteen advanced, eighteen
declined and forty eight remained un-
changed. Advances were noted In
flour, barley. corn flour, butter, tapi-
oca, beans. beeves, live sheep. live
oleo oil, evaporated milk, cotton,
wool. o delaine, hay, copper, and
spelter.
The items which declined included
wheat, red wheat, spring corn, rye
flour, hams, short ribs, lard. sugar
raw coffee. cotton-seed oil, apples,
eggs, potatoes, raisins, prunes, i've
hogs, coke and lead.
In It's summary of general business
conditions. Bradstreets notes the rol'
lowing outstanding developments:
Seasonal conditions, combined
with the threat OF more marked coal
and car scarcity involved In the
strike OF railway shopmen and the
restiveness of railway labor gener-
ally, have made for a slightly more
noticeable degree of quiet in the mat
ter of new business bookings. while
industry is straining every nerve to
produce and deliver products already
ordered. With the exception of this
note of hesitation which has crept
into tho general situation. and is par
ticularly noticeable in the central
West, underlying conditions remain
highly favorable under present active
call for practically all of the coun-
try's products and the stimulus i'm
parted by the past years recovery
from the low point in buying. in
prices and in production reached last
summer.
Apart from the industrial unrest.
the situation at the turn of the year
has rarely shown so many favorable
features so soon after a great depres-
sion. Crop prospects, owing to copi-'
GUS rains, are better than year ago.
yields OF all food products are almost
sure to be larger than in 1921, build
rate, the automobile trade is at full
capacity, the lumber, cement, brick,
furniture manufacturing and fruit
and vegetable canning trades are
fully employed, employment seems
practically negligible, and commodity
prices have lost little of the high de.
gree of ,firmness reflected in Brad
streets Index Number as of July l."
Dun's review of general trade
conditions says irS part as follows:
Seasonal restraints on business
are accentunated by existing labor
troubles. Activities have not abated
In all lines, but strikes have i'm
peded the revival in some indus
tries and the general rate Of prog.
ress is slower. Congestion in trans.
portation due to the railroad con-
troversy is not widespread, yet evil
dence OF delayed merchandise move
ments Is not lacking and the diff
Guilty of obtaining fuel is intensi.
fled. With this condition, the re-
covery In steel output, which has
been pronounced during recent
months, has been checked, some
producers reporting reduced run
ming schedule. Against the unsatis-
factory phases resulting from indus
~ NASpuNNS' Lo"tNST, lneTe are
the unmistakable signs of improve
ment in various quarters of a
stronger sentiment that prevailed
early in the year, and of a disposi-
ton to operate ahead more conf
IDENTIFY
while the approach of midsum.
mer brings a natural slowing down
In different channels, transactions
of magnitude have been absent, and
the rising trend of wholesale prices
mas continued. Restrictions of sup
plies has been a factor in strength
ening the position of sellers in GER
tain primary markets but offerings
of some goods at retail are still
being made at concessions. A devel-
opment of the week significant Of
the easier international monetary
situation has been the further re-
duction In the English hank rat I.
to 3 per cent. the lowest level