Evening star., 1936-03-15
Retail Activity Increases
With Offerings of New
Spring Merchandise.
WHOLESALE LINES JOIN
IN WIDENING ADVANCE
Reports From 80 Cities Show
Trade Gains Over Year Ago
Growing Impressively.
BY RAIDER WINGET,
Associated Press Financial Writer.

week in a highly favorable pattern
which indicated substantial progress
in trade and industry.
Retailing almost universally threw
of restraining seasonal influences and
stepped out with offerings of new
Spring merchandise.
Industrial advancement was meas
ured by the Associated Press index
of activity, which stood at 8l6 per
cent of the 1929-30 average, on a
seasonally adjusted basis, compared
with 80 per cent the previous week
and 1853 per cent year ago.
Impediments to the distribution Of
merchandise to consumers included
rains, floods and a few cold snaps.
but reports show that in practically
every case the drawbacks we're over-
come and did not materially slow the
volume of business except in the di-
rectly affected localities.
Margin Is Widened.
The Department of Commerce in a
survey for the week ended Wednes-
day for 80 cities found that retail
trade was favorably sensitive to i'm
proved weather conditions, and the
margin of gain over the same period
last year widened impressively."
1t was noted that while few less
favorable comparisons might have
been shown with the previous week,
business in virtually every city was
better than a year ago"
Wholesale lines, it was stated, for
the most part reacted to the trend
in retail, with Easter buying con-
tributing to the incentive"
Automobile and steel production i'm.
parted the greatest drive last week
to the increased tempo of industrial
activity.
The output Of steel stood at $50
per cent of capacity, as measured by
the American Iron g. Steel Institute.
compared with 53.5 per cent the week
before and All per cent last year.
Steel Demand Rises.
There was an additional demand for
heavy steels In moderate measure, and
there also was increased interest in
construction and machinery steels.
The motor makers added to their
takings. One of the best sections Of
the country was Birmingham, where
production increased to 50 per cent
of capacity, up points.
One aid was the adoption of an
open pricing method by the Republic
Steel Corp, an action followed by
many others later in the week. Sec.
ond quarter quotations generally re.
affirmed first quarter prices, and dis.
counts for large orders were an
nounced openly.
Automobile production was stepped
up to 90,660 units, as estimated by
Grams, against 84,705 the week be-
fore. Althlrgh the week was under
a year ago, when output was $1,000
units, those in the business expect the
first quarter to equal the 100000
turnout of the same period Of 1885.
Just a year ago automobile manutac-
turers were turning up assembly line
volume toward the years peak.
Warmer weather, while aiding some
lines. contributed to the reduction in
freight car loadings, which declined
| to 634,82S cars for the week ended
March 7. The drop was ST per cent
under the week before, but the total
remained 81 per cent higher than a
year ago.
Coal Shipments OFF.
While the coal shipments were on,
miscellaneous and -than-carlo
freight expanded.
Outstanding in the reports for 1885
earnings were the railroads. Glass l
carriers during the year cut the 1884
loss of s29,438,445 down to S287,538
last year.
Preliminary reports on net operat-
ing income show that most roads dur
ing the early part of this year are
| likely to better the level established
for the corresponding weeks Of 1885.
Among the outstanding forward
movements was that of engineering
construction awards, which were re-
ported by the Engineering News-Rec-
ord at $48,565, 900 for last week, com.
pared with 1871 900 year before.
Intensification of the warlike at
mosphere when Hitler marched his
troops into the Rhineland contributed
to a sharp break in the worlds secur-
ity markets.
Prices of shares on the New York
Stock Exchange declined substantially
until Saturday, when rebound wiped
out around half of the weeks losses
as the European tension slackened.
Only in the sensitive security and
commodity markets, however, was the
European situation an influence.
Detailed Reports Given.
Detailed reports by Federal Reserve
districts follow:
BOSTON.-Prices continued firm in
several branches of New England
trade. A broader demand stiffened
hide prices; cotton gray goods were
steady. Wool prices remained even,
but buyers displayed caution. Retail
trade in Boston expanded.
NEW YORK.-Despite rains. retail
trade in the metropolitan area ad-
vanced to around 10 per cent over
the 1885 period. Spring apparel sales
gained. Estimates for the second Re-
serve district put retail volume In
March from 10 to IL per cent higher
than a year ago and about equal TO
month before.
PHILADELPHIA sales con.
tinued to run about 10 per cent ahead
of last year. Manufacturers report
improvement after q quiet period Of
several weeks. Demand for textile
yarns has been lively. Various metal
trades are experiencing business better
than 1885.
CLEVELANp.-Steel operations In