The New York herald., 1922-08-20
TRADE REVIEW AND
BUSINESS OUTLOOK
Merchandise Fair Has Stimu-
lated Business Despite De-
pressing Influences.

consinued to move slowly. with prices
vacillating within narrow boundaries.
There was increased activity in other
directions, however, particularly in the
manufactured and finished goods trade.
With fall rapidly approaching retailers
and wholesalers have begun to prepare
more literally for the demand for sea-
sonable merchandise which is expected
to develop in the near future.
The merchandise fair has had its ef-
feet in stimulating business. The rail-
road and coal strikes have. no doubt.
caused some hesitancy among merchants
but have not curtailed buying to the ex-
tent that was generally expected. Buy
ers at the fair have been optimistic be-
cause of excellent crops which will in
crease the purchasing power Of the
farmers.
Good Business at Fair.
Business taken in at the booths at
the fair last week was reported as bet
ter than in the first week. Many ex-
hibitors and sellers have come into
contact with small merchants for the
first time. and the establishment Of new
accounts seems to be daily occurrence.
Besides the buying at the Fair there Is
also substantial business done at the
Gray cotton goods quotations showed
continued weakness early in the week,
but following the rise of SIS bale in
raw cotton on Thursday. displayed re-
newed firmness. Although failing as .
stimulant to buying. the squirt in the
primary market created a steadier feel
ing among sellers. In finished cotton
goods. there was little change. with
buying still from hand TO mouth. In
creased interest was manifested In
heavy crepes and goods Of ratine sug-
gestions when offered as novelties tor
next spring. Percales were in steady
demand. with ginghams rather quiet
The entire trade Is awaiting the naming
Of prices by the largest gingham pro-
ducers.
The woolen trade went further
into its spring season. Several
more factors opened their lines
lines at prices slightly higher than
last spring, but there was no outburst of
buying such as that which greeted the
American Woolen Company's showings.
although the business received was de-
scribed as satisfactory.
The announcement of the American
Woolen Company last Tuesday that It
had withdrawn from sale all fancy
worsteds sold through Department 2
came as a surprise to the clothing and
cloth trades 1t was well known that the
big factor was in we'll sold position
or its womens wear fabrics which were
recently withdrawn, and on mems wear
woolens, and II was expected that wool
ems would be sold up before the fancy
worsteds. The selling up of these lines
indicates that the clothing trade will en-
deavor to put out suit for next spring
to retail at $25. Demand for staple
dress goods continued quite active with
prices rather firmer owing to paucity
os goods The raw wool market was
slightly more active and prices held firm.
Quiet in Raw SILK Market.
| Raw silk prices suffered another weak
spell as a result of period of intense
inactivity. Manufacturers appear to be
| refraiiiing from buying beyond their
! immediate or nearby requirements,
pending the settlement of the major
strikes which have hung like a pail
over the progress nf business. The fall
silk business continues to show marked
| Improvement. Manufac cturers with
booths at the Merchandise Fair report
having booked some sizable orders Bus
| mess in the ribbon trade is running
along at a satisfactory pace. with de-
mand still centered on narrow goods.
In the fur trade. August sales bus-
ness. which started with a jump In most
instances. seemed TO have steadied down
somewhat in the last week. However.
retailers report that the volume of sales
n still ahead of last year and confi-
denly believe that business for the en-
tire month will surpass that for last
August.
Retailers have entered the market for
furs for the fall and winter seasons
L 70 ht.v
cept whenever price concessions are
granted. Garment manufacturers are
| also seeking furs for trimming pur-
poses. at slightly below market qsota-
tions. There Is little shading OF prices
however, because most manufacturers
maintain that prices will stiffen rather
than decline, as n result of small sup
plies. A small but steady business is
being received by skin dealers.
Dress manufacturers and wholesalers
have received more business In the last
fortnight than In any similar period for
considerable time. largely as result OF
the Fair which has drawn more buyers
to the market than ever before. Other
lines also have felt the stimulus of the
event.
Cloak and suit manufacturers are
doing a better business. although buyers
continue to order conservatively, pre-
ferring 10 reenter the market for more
merchandise as the season progresses.
In the mems wear field. manufacturers
are making progress in booking orders
for fall Retailers and wholesalers are
liquidating their surplus summer stock
through the medium OF cut prices.
Progress continues to be made In New
England among the cotton mills in get
ting the operatives back to work. In cer-
tain sections mills have invited the
strikers to return to work on the new
lower scale OF wages, with the under
standing that the old wage scale would
| be restored on October 2. and the oper-
ative fully reimbursed for the period
from September s TO October q The
workers union has not yet accepted this
proposal
Evidence OF, ,the Improvement in gem
ersl business II seen In the Credit Clear
ing Houses barometer for July, which
reported that retailers throughout the
country purchased is per cent. more
merchandise last month than In June.
Indebtedness fell off o.t per cent. during
the month. while payments declined 2.5
per cent. from June.
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