The Washington times., 1924-07-26
TRADE Be TER,
REWE us
SHOW
Improvements Reported II
Business Conditions With
Greater Activity

NEW YORK, July 26.-P Palmer
signs Of Improvement, both IN senti-
Ment and III actual business, have
lately appeared, Dun,s Review Of
Trade says this week. On the.
whole, this weeks reports are
ncticeably better, and they are the
more significant. because demand hi
primary channels usually does not
increase during the summer. Yet
supplies IN different instances have
reached q state, after many months
Of restricted buying, where their
replenishment has become necea-
8sary, and recent price reductions
have been an added stimulus IS
purchasing. The gain ii trans
actions q not general. but major
lines, such as steel, drygoods, hides,
leather and footwear show an ac-
celebration Of activity, varying III
degree, and not d few sellers are
firmer in their views as to prices.
The latter condition again finds
reflection In the list Of wholesale
quotations, In which the excess OF
advances Is even more pronounced
than was the case last week. and
marks q decided reversal of the pre-
vious downward trend. widespread
comment has been occasioned BY
the further rise in prices for farm
products, notably wheat and cotton,
and the effect Of this movement rs
clearly seen in the more confident
feeling and the broadening OF trade
In agricultural sections.
The high price for the raw ma
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upon cotton goods MANUFACTURED,
which has undergone extensive cur
tailment, but certain other branches
Of the textile industry disclose
definite progress toward revival.
With the recent moderate turn.
for the better IN some directions,
there IL more common expecta.
ton now that the seasonal luif
which still prevails in various quar-
tiers win be followed in the autumn
by 3 practically general expansion
of business.
Bradstreet's food index number,
based on the wholesale prices per
pound Of thirty-one articles used.
for food, II 1914, comparing with
SALT last week and SSH for the
week ended July 26, 1898. This
weeks number shows q loss OF /
per cent from last week, but q gain
Of per cent over the like week
q last wear. 81 the eichtv.two
commodities Of all kinds quoted
weekly, twenty-five advanced as
compared with last week, eighteen
declined and thirty-nine remained
unchanged.
Crop conditions and cheap money
have furnished the mainsprings OF
what activity has been witnessed
In trade and speculation. according
to Bradstreet's. Except for some
uncertainty In parts OF the cotton
belt and damage in Pacific coast
and mountain State areas, the
domestic crop situation has shown
unQuestionable Improvement, re.
ports as to winter and spring
wheat and corn having pointed to
further gains In possible yields.
Additional strength in food crop
prices have largely been based
mainly upon poor reports from
northwest Canada, and possibly
also upon the rising tide Of specu.
lation which has been aided by the
eUA+AN0hSC "a AuO1ACy.
In comparison with these activi-
ties the movement in trade has
seemed very moderate. Retail
trade, indeed, has seemed to lag:
midsummer conditions, including
high temperatures, tending to Re.
strict buying, whereas WholesaIe
ana primary lines have seen d fur
Their capitalization Of improved
feeling in the form Of more 49,
sured buying for the nearer future
Strength in the markets for raw
materials noted in the widespread
advances Of last week has been m.
diminished, the non.ferrous metals
indeed. showing quite distinct gairs.
The long predicted gain in demand
Tor steel has seemed to make its
appearance at several big centers
s sau there are some reports Of
DETER hrlWfrAnp - - -