Evening star., 1930-10-03
GAINS IN BUSINESS
ACTIVITY REPORTED
Leaders of Various industries
Find Gradual Pickup
In Sales Volume.

The businesses of the country In gen.
eral have put their houses in order, but
they are still having some difflculty In
getting customers to move in.
Leaders in various industries report
today that business is gaining and that
prosperity is beginning to sidle back
toward the center of the stage. Retail
ers in general are preparing for the rush rush
when the buying trend really gets
started. This is indicated by the num-
be of buyers in the trade 'centers who
are ordering stocks for Fall and Win
ter demand with much more freedom
than has been evidenced for many
months.
Further indication Of the trend Is
seen in the car estimates made by the
regional advisory boards. These boards
forecast the number Of freight cars
which probably will be needed during
each seasonal period in their districts.
While the number required by shippers
in other parts of the country will be
low, the requirements OF the Atlantic
States are placed at per cent higher
than at this time in 1929. This district
Is composed of manufacturing States
and the outgoing shipments indicate
a fine volume Of buying OF finished and
semi-f1nished products.
Commodities Remain Low.
Commodity prices still are decidedly
low and showing little signs, of immedi..
ate improvement. Copper has touched
the 10-cent level and prices Of copper
and bronze goods have been cut in con-
sequence. Tire prices are low, as are
other rubber goods. improvement in
the coal industry is attributed largely
to seasonal influences.
Power consumption, however, has
started to pick up and the amount of
current being used by industrial con-
Germs is very satisfactory to the utility
companies. Use of gas is also increas-
ing and this is heavier than the seasonal
demand usually requires. The shorten
ing Of the days. requiring additional
electric current for lighting, is always
a factor at this time of year.
Demand for meats of various kinds
has been spurred by the cooler weather
this week and sales abroad have shown
fair amount Of improvement. The
Jewish holiday affected beef sales in
some localities. Grain prices made no
startling changes and other foodstuffs
were steady.
Construction Of highways is at its
peak right now, but building of homes
Is decidedly slack and the construc-
ton Of public buildings and CONNER
OA04 CNAAACCo - 1lOb tilOIC IIkdIt 1lOlQlIlB
its own. This in itself. however, is a
hopeful sign, for usually at this time
of year there is a decided drop in
building construction.
Automobile Industry.
The automobile industry will not dis
pose of as many cars this year as was
anticipated earlier, and the total will
be well under the 1929 level, but none
the less a large number have been
bought. The main factor was the
failure Of replacement demand to
stand up. However, there is only just
so much wear in any automobile and
the industry knows that present ma
chimes will have to be replaced even-
tually. It realizes that when this starts
business will come with rush and it
is in position to increase output with
out delay.
The same may be said of the steel
industry, although steel business has
suffered surprisingly little in the last
year There is a slight monetary re-
cession, but even the most pessimistic
do not anticipate this will continue.
The demand for clothing is beginning
to pick up, except in the work clothing
lines.
(CopyriEht. 1900