Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-06-14
IRREGULAR TRADE
TREND CONTINUES
Large Purchases of Pipe and
Steel Are Noted in Week
Iy Reviews.
Special Dispatch to The Star.

NEW YORK, June 14.-Decisive
business trends have been absent dur
ing the past week and reports are
mainly on the quiet side, according to
the trade reviews. The exception to
the generally quiet situation is noted in
the orders for pipe, oil tanks and struc-
tural material in the iron and steel in
dustry.
Bradstreet's says, in part:
1.-The weather, while beneficial to
crops needing moisture, has, because of
accompanying GOODNESS, tended to re-
strict retail buying of light-wear fab
RIGS. The advance of the season also
and wholesalers to absolute necessities.
Structural materials have been ordered
heavily, much of this because of heavy
construction needs in and about New
York Active road work, too, Is still re-
fiected in buying Of concrete bars, while
an active canning seasons needs aid to
increase an otherwise quiet buying OF
tin plate.
ment buying Of steel has eased off.
Ingot steel output after a reaction in
May has gone slightly lower this week.
Reports from South as well as North
are Of curtailment agreed on for the
Summer months in the cotton goods
line as still proceeding. Raw cotton and
cotton goods are OF in price in SYM
pathy.
"As regards new buying at retail best
reports come from women's wear lines,
especially the lighter forms OF cotton
and silk.
Crop reports, as a whole, are better
than for several years past at this date
and a significant feature Is q slight
gain IN the Government estimate Of
possible Winter wheat output"
Cotton Cloth Market.
Further declines in raw cotton fol-
lowing last weeks receSsionS served TO
depreSs the New York primary market
for unfinished cotton cloths. Prices OF
various descriptions were reduced, but
the lower levels failed to stimulate de-
mand to any appreciable extent. Buyers
were inclined TO hold OF and await
developments, combining their purchases,
as a rule, to small quantities for tmme-
date or nearby delivery, while some
sellers virtually withdrew from the
market rather. than offer goods at cur
rent prices, which were said to be
improbable in many instances.
r. G. Dun q Co.'S weekly review Of
business says in part:
THE main point of interest, in the
absence of decisive new commercial
trends, has been the recurrence Of con-
spicuous unsettlement in speculative
channels. Confusion and uncertainty
over the general situation have led to
hesitation in many instances, but q
period Of inertia in the stock market
has been succeeded by comparative
activity and sharply ductuating prices.
The basis for that movement was not
to be found In any important change
in the status of trade although the
continued lack of broad and impress
sive revival has unfavorably affected
sentiment in quarters where the time
element in economic readjuStment had
not been fully allowed for. With Sum-
mer near at hand, q further deferment
of expansion in most lines Is indicated,
and receding manufacturing operations,
where they appear now, are in keeping
with the usual seasonal tendency.
Decline in Commodity Prices.
Naturally, restrictive influences are
intensified in the present era Of transit
modify prices still being one of the
principal restraining forces. Except in
the relatively few cases where needs
are urgent, the advantage remains dis
tinctly with the buyer, and the steady
easing in wholesale quotations is begin
ming 70 DE renecteo more plainly In re-
tail circles. Pressure to move goods to
consumers has become more evident
under the altered aspects Of demand
and supply, but clear appraisal OF
the public purchasing power has been
rendered the more difncult by I'M
propittouS weather In many localities.
THE obstacles to business recovery
have been both numerous and varied in
character, yet some definite gain has
been made in strengthening. underlying
conditions, and this is a necessary pre-
liminary to subsequent advance. Thus
far the barometric statistical records
have failed to disclose any marked re-
verSal Of trend, but even the recent re-
duction in steel output left the I'VE
months total at level equaled only i'll
three other years. Comparisons with
the results in 1929 should be made with
full recognition of the fact that the
earlier period was one of exceptional
progress in many branches Of enter
prise"