Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-01-24
FURTHER BUSINESS |
GAINS ARE SCORED
Weekly Reviews Report
Progress in Retail Trade
and Industry.
Special Dispatch to The Star.

Special Dispatch to The Star.
NEW YORK, January 24.-with IN
dustry holding recent gains and with
retail business continuing TO improve,
the mercantile agencies in their weekly
reviews report that a more cheerful
feeling seems to be abroad In most Sec
tons of the country.
Bradstreet's reports q slight lull In
some primary lines. but explains that
in many instances word Is awaited
from statesmen, who are now on the
road, as to the responses of secondary
distributors to the new styles and prices
offered" It adds that retail trade is
reported relatively better than Is whole
sale and jobbing distribution, this based
on the offerings at sales to close out
generally light Winter stocks, aided in
most Northern areas by lower tempera-
lures and snow"
Industry, likewise, maintains the
gains shown after the turn of the year"
Bradstreet's continues, these mainly In
iron and steel, automobile, shoe and
some textiles, but there Is evidence of
the upltft from late December having
reached the peak for the time being
The general tone of business, however
seems fully as cheerful as earlier re-
ported. AS yet the activity displayed is
not up to that shown a year ago at
this date, but 1t may be said that the
reaction shown in the late Winter and
early Spring months year ago is still
in mind and the disposition is TO 20
forward carefully.
Bookings Of RayOn Goods.
Features in the large industries
aside from iron and steel and auto
mobiles are the booking of orders
for rayoR goods, this aided by the
SHARK reductions recently announced
IN shoe manufacturing, where the
to roll up a fairly good volume Of
orders in lower-priced grades and In
wooden and worsted goods. which
reflect recent price concessions In
raw materials. In coal the recent
weather has given another slight
impetus to bIy1ng af bituminous
grades in the Wset. Gar loadings in
the first full &esk Of the year are
naturally iaFgf1 than in the proceed
ing weeks, but IL is necessary to 20
back to 1921 and 1922 to find approx
mately similar totals.
1.-THE general commodity price trend
in January seems to have been slightly
downward, but 1t will be remembered
that the first week of the year re-
dected a hardening in quotations which
did not hold in the second week."
Improvement More Apparent.
Although the pace continues slow.
definite gains are revealed in the trade
movement in reports from some indus
trial lines this week." Dun's Review
says. while still uneven, the improve
ment has become an actually in some
departments. The reopening of factories
in different sections has brought the re-
turn OF mary workers. Retail trade
has Responded to some extent and the
absence OF surplus merchandise has
forced some manufacturers to lay aside
Spring woik en handle orders for i'm
mediate shipment. In wholesale chan
nelS there bAA been some buying for
Spring, which mas been of quite pro-
nounced scope in articles Of general
consumption.
I'm the steel trade inquiries are re-
ported for supplies for Government
undertakings, which should tend to off,
set the shrinkage in other building lines.
Employment In the automobile indus
tries Is distinctly larger and bids fair
to hold well into the Spring.
Conditions in some of the leading
commodity markets continue disturbed
by an unsteady price situation.
Reports from various sections of the
country indicate that efforts are being
concentrated on getting business started
With less attention to other considera-
tions which will require time to become
fully readjusted."