Evening star., 1936-12-27
Luxury Items Gain.

|. In his weekly survey, Thomas z.
Flanagan. Associated Press financial
writer, declares belated Christmas
shoppers thronged stores from coast
to coast in the biggest buying surge
since 1880. From leading trade CEN
ters came reports Of q noticeable trend
toward freer purchasing Of costlier
goods Of the luxury and semi.luxury
classihcations.
Bolstering the Nations purse for
the holiday buying splurge was q
bountiful rain Of dividend and bonus
checks upon workers and shareholders.
Industry, although beset with strikes
IN some sectors, showed little tend
ency to slacken its pace In the usual
year-end fashion.
The shortened holiday week, how.
ever, resulted In curtailment Of pro.
duction generally.
The release Of the weekly carload
ing figures has been deferred until
Monday, so an important segment Of
the periods business picture Is mise
ing. Another absent factor Is the
Department Of Commerce commercial
survey of 81 cities, which also was
put over until the first Of the week.
Nevertheless, the numerous 1ndi-
Gators to hand leave little doubt that
the general industrial and business
condition Of the country maintained
the high rate Of activity shown In
the preceding weeks.
Steel Operations Down.
Steel operations, based on q five-day
week, were placed at II per cent Of
capacity by the American Iron and
Steel Institute. although . number
of observers in the industry antici-
pated the rate would exceed that
figure. In the preceding full week
the rate was. 1872 per cent and year
ago 1872 per cent.
Although several plants closed
Thursday night and will not resume
operations until tomorrow, the pressure
of consumers for deliveries, induced
by the first-puarter price advances.
determined most Of the industry to
reopen the day after Christmas.
Steel shipments reached peak levels,
in many instances exceeding by wide
margins the outturn Of mills. Makers
of light steel lines, in particular, made
heavy shipments, with much OF the
metal being taken from considerably
reduced surpluses on hand.
The Nations dynamos continued to
hum at their recent high pitch. Elec-
trio output figures for the week ended
December 10, as reported by tho
Edison Electric Institute, placed pro-
duction at 2, 2,274, SOB 900 kilowatt hours,
1875 per cent over the 1885 COM
parative and within striking distance
Of the preceding weeks record OF
2,278, ,303, 900 kilowatt hours.
Strikes Reduce Output.
Strikes in several auto parts ana
accessories plants hobbled the motor
car industry, reducing most Of the large
producers to athree-and-one-hah day
week. The effect which these shut
downs had on car output was shown
by Grams estimate Of 76.e89 Tor the
week, compared with 121 ,038 In the
preceding period. For the comparable
1885 week output was s1,335 cars.
The loss Of working time occasioned
by the lack Of parts conceded with
the customary lull In output which
accompanies the Christmas week. A
healthier outlook for the future was
indicated with the announced settle.
ment Of strikes at some Of the parts
manufacturers plants.
Commodities held to their recent
course, several climbing to new highs
for recent years. Chicago. Liverpool
and Winnipeg wheat futures went to
new seven-year peaks on reports that
Germany was in the market with
heavy orders.
Metal markets raced higher. with
nearly every day seeing Its predeces-
sor's records topped. Domestic and
export copper prices were raised to
levels coinciding with those Of 1880.
while lead, spot and futures, zinc and
(see CHRISTMAS TRADE, Page Cal