Douglas daily dispatch., 1926-05-18
(By Charles #. willis. Editor The
Mining, JOurmaD.

While the copper price has dropped
1-Sc to 13 7-Sc, there is no evidence
of weakness to sell on the part of
the copper producers and copper is
showing up strong even in the face
of the European conditions which are
probably as depressing upon this in
Gustry as upon any other.
In fact, copper has held up in very
encouraging manner considering the
unfavorable econ omic developments in
England and lit&le Improvements in
copper buying can be expected just as
long as the British general strike con-
tinues as that will :iaturaIly eliminate
G, pper transactions in that country
Just as long as ths strike endures.
German conditin1s are I'll the mend.
The taxation pr gam inaugurated i'll
C&ermany after tile Dawes plan was
set up had it's first bad effect upon
the copper industry when in the mid
die of last year there was a very con-
siderable falling off in the German
buying, but it is generally felt that
Germany has passed through the cri-
sis in very orderly fashion, and that
the bottom has been reached several
mOHIHS ago Will SOuIu COuullloHS
following.
Even in spite of the fact that do
mestic copper buying is not large, in
fact, has been very small during the
past several weeks, copper has re-
mained strong due to the fact that
practically all lines of business con-
suming copper is active with plenty
of untitled orders on their books.
Building construction is still good al
though it is expected that the last
half of this year will ,show some fall
ing off Electrical developments and
construction are, however, going for
ward on large scale.
Taken all in. all, there is no evil
dence that we can expect a greater
domestic copper consumption than we
had last year, but there is also no
evidence that we can anticipate any
sumed in the United States during
1925.
This is reflected in the figures for
April copper production which shows
that the mines of the United States
produced 7S,O06 tons against 1878
tons in March, this slight decrease
being accounted for because of the
fact that there was one more day
in March than there was in April.
The output for the first four months
of 1926 was but 100000 pounds less
than in the same period of 1926, be-
ing 2S7,S91 tons against 2S9,324 tons.
The surplus stock of refined copper
on April list was practically back to
the low mark of last year, being 75,-
206 tons, or sufficient copper for cur
rent consumption to last II days.
Most copper authorities are looking
forward with much interest and anti
cipation as to the prospective work
of the new copper export associa-
tion, stronger and bigger organi-
zation than it's predecessor and repre-
senting 80 per cent of the worlds
production: AS one authority states
it, "this is the first time the so-called
"big producers" have been able to
sit around table and agree to stop
cutting each others throats."
Therefore, in spite of the restricted
consumption of the United States and
the bad economic conditions of Eu-
rope, sellers are optimistic and in no
mood to make any price concessions
at the present. Probably the most
unfavorable feature of the copper sit
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crease is 1882 or 52.4 per cent.
y In1t nfsiT