Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-06-04
SALES At RETAIL
ARE RUNNING HIGH
Gains in Farm Prospects in
Some Areas Factors in
Increased Buying.
BY j. G. ROYLE.
Special Dispatch to The Star.

Special Dispatch to The star.
NEW YORK, June 4.--Cash regis
ters are ringing up retail sales through
out the country with astounding regu-
larity today. This is in sharp con
trast with parts of the first three
months of the year and reflects most
encouraging business conditions. For
it is not until the ultimate consumer
pays for the goods and has them de-
livered that merchants, distributors,
manufacturers and producers OF mate
rails can actually feel safe in counting
profits.
Sales of chain stores are running %
per cent ahead of those of June. 1926.
Department stores sales are running
s to II per cent better in most loCa!i-
ties. Usually there is slump in
prospect at this easOn, but the
weather has been so cold and the sea.
son so delayed that sales are likely
to keep at a high rate we'll into
August.
Aided Retail Buying.
The gains in agricultural prospects
in many sections have aided this tend
Grey in retail buying. Even the
flooded sections of the South are do
ing an amount of business not to he
having it's effect on livestock prices.
20 the delight of many agricuturists.
Packing houses are getting better
meat prices and profit margins in that
industry seem safer than a month
ago.
Negotiations leading to q merger of
Independent sheet steel. producers
again have been resumed in the Mid
die West and if these are successful
benefits are expected to accrue to all
concerned. President kulas of Otis
Steel believes the seasonal letdown
expected each year during the Sum
mer in the steel industry will be of
less Importance than usual
Ohio steel mills have benefited ma.
terially in the last week from orders
for sheets and strips from the Ford
Motor co. for it's new car. which will
be on the market shortly. Automobile
builders in general and makers of
accessories report big business Prices
on motor cars have been stable, but
some authorities anticipate price cut
ting when Ford really gets into pro-
duction.
While original equipment sales of
tires have fallen off slightly. replace.
ment demand is still very heavy. How
ever. some factors in the trade have
recently announced price cuts.
Radio Industry Uneasy.
The radio industry is in an uneasy
condition. Sales have dropped sharply
and now are Is to 20 per cent under
those of June. 1926. Prices have been
reduced until profit margins have
become minute with some companies.
Photograph business is reviving and
has gained at least 10 per cent as
compared with last year.
No Improvement has made itself
felt in the reduction of petroleum pro-
duction, but soft coal output from non
union mines has discounted disad-'
vantageous effects of the mine strike
on industry and business. The amount
of money spent on building so far this
year is ahead of that for the five
months of 1926. but labor costs are as
high or higher than year ago. and
new building projects are slowly grow
ing fewer.
The non-ferrous metals showed
slightly improved positions and the
demand for lumber is bit dull. The
railroads are estimated to have lost
$500 900, 600 as result of the floods
but many of the roads will he helped
in making this up by heavy shipments
during the remainder of the year.