Evening star., 1935-12-08
ALL AREAS FEEL
|. BUYING MOOD OF
HOLIDAY SEASON
Shoppers Rush Retail Stores
Throughout the Nation.
Sales Records Due.
INDUSTRY KEEPS PACE
WITH BROAD ADVANCE
Surveys Show Customers Making
L rger Purchases-Better Quail
ity Demand Expands.
BY RAIDER WINGET,
Associated Press Financial Writer


Associated Press Financial Writer.
Holiday shoppers. in a merry buy
ing mood, rushed retail stores through
out the Nation last week for the start
Of what merchants predict may be the
greatest Christmas season of years.
Industrial progress kept pace with
retail trade. Smoking factories, crash
ing looms, the clang of heavy ham
mers resounded as the Associated
Press index of industrial activity
touched the highest point since July
of 1880.
The index, adjusted for seasonal
variation, stood at S6 per cent of the
l929-30 average.
From the twentieth through the
fifteenth shopping day before Christ
mas practically every section of the
country experienced the benefits of the
expanded buying wave.
Revival Follows LulI.
In some mid-Western centers the
revival followed slowneSS brought on
by unseasonal weather and in the
Eastern part Of the country the up
turn put many cities definitely ahead
of the 1894 level for the first time in
several weeks.
Surveys found that customers were
making larger purchases and there
were more sales per shopper. The de-
mand for better quality merchandise
and luxury goods expanded generally,
barking back to the giddy days Of the
boom.
In most sections the retail trend was
coincident with better industrial
operations.
The production of automobiles last
week came right back to near the best
Fall levels after the drop for Thanks
giving week, and the total was the best
for this time Of year since November
Of 1929.
Steel mills stepped up another point
to 56.4 per cent of capacity, as reported
by the American Iron 81 Steel Insti-
tute, level which was only slightly
below the highest since the institute
inaugurated its reporting system in
1888.
Notable were the orders and in
quiries from railroads and construction
| organizations.
Textile Sales Climb.
Cotton textile sales in some Eastern
markets forged ahead rapidly, and CO..
ton textile manufacturing activity,
measured by the Associated Press on
seasonal basis, was the highest since
September of 1888 at 1919 per cent
of the 1929-30 average.
Freight car loadings during the
week ended November 30 decreased
from the previous week, but the drop
was much less than normal for this
period of the year, making the aggre-
gate the best since November of 1881.
At the same time, gross revenue of
railroads during November was esti-
mated at $500, 1000, 900, establishing a
record for that month likewise going
back to November, 1881.
Power production for that same
week declined, indicating the lessened
holiday requirements of industry, but
the drop was slightly more than ex-
pected.
The more sensitive commodity mar
kets and those in international trade
was sharply influenced on the favor
able side by the third vote of conf
dence accorded the Laval government
by the French Chamber of Deputies.
Gold Flow Halted.
An extremely heavy flow Of gold
from France to the United States was
halted by the development which sent
the franc high enough to preclude
profit on gold shipment to New York.
Traders who had taken a short posi-
ton in francs in the foreign exchange
market were trapped by the rise.
In America, business as represented
by the National Association of Manu-
facturers lined up for a political battle
against President Roosevelt and the
New Deal. Statements Of the busi-
neSsmen, however, had nc apparent
influence on the current progress of
business industry or finance.
Detailed Reports Given.
Detailed reports on business last
week in Federal Reserve districts fol-
low:
BoSTON-Several jewelry and fur
houses experienced an unusually brisk holi-
day business, and department stores found
a sudden cold wave beneficial to heavy
goods. The three large primary markets,
wool, cotton and hides and leather. were
NEW YoRK-Retail trade in the metro
politan area Increased rapidly from the
comparison with 1884 was unfayorable
year ago. December, however, was esti-
mated at 10 per cent over 1884. Whole-
sale ,, orders I from rom out OF tow town , were heavy:
mas buying early and heavy and predict
a substantially larger volume for December
than last year. November was only slightly
season sessonaiiy; the hosiery industry curtSiled
LEyELAND-Sharp gains in retail
trade pointed to a holiday volume 20 TO 80
unchanged to higher and coal output was
stimulated by cold weather. Auto parts
and accessory plants held even. Toledo
reported .children's vehicle plants on "a
CHICAGO indications that Christmas
retail business VIII be the best since 1880
were reported by the, Association Of Com
holiday buying. Higher steel operations
resulted in a gradual increase in vases
and employment. November automobile
sales. were the best recorded for that
ST LoUIs-Christmas shopping wes
vigorous with the volume probably the
largest since before the depression. Shop
pers bought higher-grade merchandise.
of Winter goods. Service trades declared
business was much better.
AIIAn- -IAlrFnF0T nlnFR