The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1924-03-01
7 RADE UNEASY.
DURING PAST
WEEK
Downward Price Movements
in Cotton and WooIens Re-
Elected in Apparel Trades.

NEW YORK, March BRAD.
streets weekly review of business
aid today:
Something like slack-water ap.
.'earance is presented this week.
Jistributive trade in primary lines
ais week is rather Quieter, while
1bbing trade is shade larger than
Ast week at some cities. Industry
anges from fair to good, while
elections, on the other hand, vary
rom fair to slow. Neither trade
or industry appears equal to
ear ago at this time.
Reasons for this are vaHouslv
tated. but political, seasonable, and
a certain extent speculative con-
atoms are all mentioned as oper-
tive. The week has seen some
regularity in financial markets,
this partially rejecting disturbed
political sentiment uncertain re-
1orts as to legislation and sharp
downward movements in several
tables, notably cotton and copper.
\ dulling Of iron buying but good
Eel purchasing. on behalf Of the
abroad interests had been noted.
Buyers Cautious.
Caution in buying at wholesale
and in Jobbing lines of the apparel
-rades has been accumulated by
downward price movement Of staple
cottons and Woolens and by some
.hlng like lndecislOn among others.
Zig iron prices were steady, but
scrap metal yielded slightly. In
he textiles the continued weakness
of raw cotton and the reaching of
low of 20 cents against the high
Of 37.75 paid December /, was
credited with weakening some lines
of cotton goods further through the
opening of women's Fall lines Of
worsted revealed general quota.
tons than ruled a year ago. Raw
wool ruled quiet at the east. Raw
silk again sagged.
In the construction trades, re-
cent bad weather was reflected in
less urgent buying, but lumber at
the east is reported firm at recent
advances.
Coal Output Small.
I'm the coal trades, the advance
of the season and the passing Of
the soft coal strike menace are re.
Elected in smaller output.
THE petroleum industry turned
the corner in January, as proved
by the fact that stocks at the end
Of the month decreased for the
first time in a year.
Dun's Weekly Review Of Business
said today:
1T is made plain by different
statistical measures that current
business Is Of very large volume
evenness Of conditions and the same
conservatism that have been seen
for many months still prevail.
'"rhe steel industry is operating
at a high rate and Is the brightest
spot In the general situation, but
the textile trades lag, with cotton
goods manufacture restricted, and
the recent expansion in demand for
hides and leather has not been fully
held, 1t Is a period for a natural
lull in some markets, yet the prac.
tice OF limiting commitments to
actual needs and of keeping stock
low remains sharply defined in
about all lines, Frequent purchases
Of moderate size. rather than large
individual orders, are the rule.
Conditions Good.
with the large consumptive re-
quirements, however. and with rela-
lively little unemployment Of work.
ers, the underlying conditions are
strong. AS the end of the winter
approaches. more interest develops
IA me prospects for a new season,
which are considered encouraging in
many branches. Even with the
noteworthy activity a year ago,
average daily bank clearings then
did not equal the current average,
and there is not much difference
in the general level of prices. In
some cases, competition Far bust
ness is leading to concessions. and
a narrowing OF the margin Of in
creases in wholesale quotations in
dicates that fewer sellers have the
advantage at present"