Evening star., 1925-12-26
CHRISTMAS TRADE:
SMASHES RECORDS
Retail Sales Pass Figures of
1924-HoIiday Checks
Now Being Spent.
BY j. c. ROYLE.
Special Dispatch to The Star.

| BY j. c. ROYLE.
| Special Dispatch to The Star.
| NEW YORK, December 26.-The
| check to industrial and commercial
| operations imposed by the Christmas
holiday was markedly less than in
previous years. Mill and factory pro-
duction dropped somewhat. as was
inevitable. but the recession was short
and Monday will see many Of the big
| plants in full stride again. Those
which will remain closed until after
| the turn of the year will be utilizing
| the time In inventory taking.
No sooner was the debris of the
Christmas retail rush cleaned up than
merchants were called upon to meet
buying demand inspired by Christ
! mas checks and investment dividends
! due at the year end. The normal pc
riod devoted to exchange of goods got
| under way today and customers so at
| tracted to stores contributed to a
| heavy post-holiday sales volume.
1924 Sales Record Passed.
Individual sales slips of nearly every
crease of at least > cents over the av-
erage OF the 1924 holiday season, and
| in addition, there were hundreds of
/ thousands of extra buyers. Even
among the investing and non-specula-
tive class the stock market exerted in
| f1uence. since the ma jority of security
| holders undoubtedly felt richer. In
view of the higher quotations obtain
| ing. than they did year ago. For
@ % ha ri. ,..lI of J.
| vania Railroad stock has added at
| least $4,000. 900 wealth To the hold
| ines of its l4S. .000-odd stockholders, as
| compared with a year ago.
| Up to Christmas, the PittshurSh h
steel district operated plants at above
81 per cent OF capacity. while Youngs
| town was only slightly lower. Steel
! production * not expected 10 show
! acceleration until after the turn of the
year. but there was less time taken off
| by skilled workers than is usual. Mills
| are well booked into the new year and
! demand for steel is heavy. Some Of
| the Carnegie steel plants will swing
| over into new equipment electrically
| driven after January !. and new units
| will give increased capacity.
Building Outlook.
The automobile industry slowed
| down, according to custom, but exec
| utives utilized this idle time TO give
| expression To confident predictions for
| 1926 production. Warnings of over
! expansion of buildings issued last
week were countered by declarations
| by the Architectural Forum and other
building trade authorities that anot her
! SC, 900 900 090 construction year was in
/ prospect. None the less. demand for
! lumber, cement and building material
; fell off during the week, with produc
! tion dropping in slightly lesser ratio
The Department OF abor report ed
| employment conditions as rema kably
! satisfactory. despite the anthra cit {
| strike and some minor disputes. The
| admission that recent strike cost
! the workers $500 900 but demonstrated
! the fighting ability of the organiza
! ton" indicated the decided trend away
! from labor troubles. which is notice
! able in the attitudes OF both employ.
ers and workers.
Oil Prices Bettered.
Bituminous coal production fell off
! during the week, but was still high
! above normal consumption for the
| country as whole. Oil prices bet
| tered and there are indications in
| recently announced premiums for
| crude that the advance Is likely to
continue.
! The closing of the exchanges. most
| Of them from Thursday night until
! Monday morning, checked trading in
many commodities, because traders
/ We're loath to take on commitments
/ over this extended period. The Brit
ish rubber market figuratively laugh.
! ed at Secretary Hoover's fight against
restricted production. and the appeal
! of the Secretary to consumers to buy
IS per cent fewer tires did not arouse
! any marked enthusia SIN among manu-
| faeturers.
! Coffee Men Seek Loans.
The Brazilian coffee producers, als'
| under departmental fire. turned tt
! England in appeals for loans to per
| nit valoriza ton OF coffee and sustain
| ing of prices. Coffee. tea and rice
! closed the trading week firm and lit
tie interest was manifested in the
/ sugar markets. Nuts were wei
cleaned up by the holiday trade. Cot
ton and wooden goods were quiet, but
with a good general tone in evidence
/ The non-ferrous metal markets
/ quieted down, but the technical posi-
| ton of these commodities was little
! changed The position Of the grain
and live stock growers was strong
! Fur trading was slack. not because OF
! lack of demand, but because buyers
| feared TO bid up prices above present
| levels.
Copyright. 1921