The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1924-07-19
RETAIL TRADE
BETTER, SAYS
RE VIEW
H MM
Dun-8radstreet's Survey Re-
ports Improved Conditions
for Past Week

NEW YORK, July 19.--The I'm
creased firmness Of different mar
kets g significant Of the closer
balance that exists now between
production and consumption OF
goods. Dun's review Of trade says
this week. For the first time III
twenty weeks, the list OF wholesale
quotations shows an excess OF adj
vances, though the latter were
largely confined to the fOodstuffs
group. In certain instances, as in
the hide trade, price recovery has
lcOme chiefly because of an improved
business, but in some other cases it
has resulted from the sharp curtail.
lment Of manufacture that has Oc-
CURED since the early part Of the
/ year. Output in various quarters
had run beyond requirements, ultf-
mateiy causing depression in prices.
land an adjustment In industrial
operations was necessary to reduce
1.-THE dlsproportion between supply
land demand.
Even with q lack Of active buy
ling now many sellers IRE less In
Iclined to make price concessions,
and there are indications in some
/ of the textile divisions and else
where that available stocks Of mer.
chandise are not plentiful No i'm
iportant gain in volume Of transact
tions at this period is to be ex-
pected, but the present seasonal luil
Ishould logically be followed by q
revival, and the noteworthy rise in
grain prices will augment the pur-
chasing power i'm the agricultural
laonffrv,es ~ the Mast T.aT.arofu ~.
flecting the latter prospect, there -
la better sentiment in business cir
Giles, although no sign appears Of
any departure from the long con-
tinued policy Of limiting commit.
nents to actual needs.
Food Index Advances Sharply:
Bradstreet's Food Index Number,
based on the wholesale prices Ier
i pound Of thirty-one articles used tor
food, is $3.17, comparing with $3.11
last week and $3.11 Tor the week
ended July 10, 1923. This weeks
number shows a gain of Q per cent
over last week, and Of per cent
over the like week Of. last year. OF
the eighty-two commodities Of, all
kinds quoted weekly. thirty-four adj
vanced as compared with last week,
ten declined and thirty-eight re-
manned unchanged.
The following increases were re.
ported:
Decreases included:
Commodities which remained un.
changed were:
Retail Lines Active.
Trade is mainly Of midsummer
i character, with retail lines. aided by
crop Improvement and sales" rel
atively most active, according to
BradStreet's. There is evidence.
however, that the continued rise
in grain prices, the very decided
gain in corn and other crop condi-
tons, and the cheerful tone Of 80
curity markets are causing the bet
ter feeling in wholesale lines 70
take more definite form in tho
shape of a willingness to buy more
freely of textiles for the nearer fu.
ture. While jobbing trade is natu-
rally OF a refill or recorder charac-
active trade, in this line and OF
some expansion OF primary pur-
chases for the late summer and
early fall. Collections are shade
better. Industry. relatively speak
| ing, still tends to lag, factory, mill
and mine operations being at
very slow pace-in many instances
well below half speed.
Building is still about the most
active Of the constructive industries,
but there is marked ebb and flow
movement visible here, with easing
prices and slower buying Of lumber
and brick, but with good gains
noted in structural steel over a year
ago.
Rather more firmness and
activity in some of the raw material
markets, such as wool, cotton, silk,
scrap steel, copper and other nom
ferrous metals, seem to Indicate
that even the factory industries arc
beginning to feel the buying urge.