Evening star., 1938-11-27
Trade Improves;
Big Christmas
Volume Seen
Cold Weather Spurs
Retail Demand on
Brood Front
BY IRVING PERLMETER,
Associated Press Financial Writer.

AssUCldte0 FIeSS flHdnCldI WIltef.
Business, striding toward what It
expects to be prosperous Christmas
trade, paused long enough this week
to eat turkey and reflect over good
news.
A Commerce Department survey
of retail and wholesale trade indi.
Gated an increased pace of merchan.
disc distribution This is important
to maintenance of the well-publi-
cized advances in factory activity
because failure of consumption to
keep up with production might mean
a temporary industrial setback in
the next half year.
The department said nearly all OF
the surveyed cities had larger sales
this week than in the preceding
week and some of them reported
passing the relatively good sales level
of year ago.
Merchants in many cities, par
ticularly New York, Chicago and
Philadelphia, were optimistic with
regard to prospects for good Christ
mas business, with the volume eX-
pected to equal or exceed that for
the 1887 season." the department re-
ported.
Clothing Sales Climb.
One factor in trade improvement
was the cold weather. which spurred
sales of winter clothing and acces-
SorieS.
From New Yorks wholesaling dis
trict came word that markets were
relatively good, and sales for the
winter season, while slow in start
ing, are now far greater than at
this time a year ago. with indica-
tions of further prolonging of the
season. Stocks were generally clean
and practically no close-out mer-
chandise was available. Buying OF
furs improved and accessories kept
pace with garments"
The wholesale market for textiles
was described. however, as "a lit
tie reactionary" Cotton and WOOL
ems quieted down. rayon improved
and silk demand was weak.
Automobile sales were a particu-
larly bright factor. At shows Of
new models, better sales than last
year were reported, particularly in
the higher price classes.
Contrast Resented.
New York retail trade presented
the contrast of Fifth avenue sales
running considerably better than
department stores catering to moro
varied classes of consumers.
Although Thanksgiving holiday
interrupted some factory operations,
the industrial news was mostly
cheerful.
Leading business statistics be-
coming available during the week
included:
The Associated Press index of in
dustrial activity hit new high for
more than year, going to 92.5 per
cent of the l929-1930 average, COM
pared with 1913 in the preceding
week and 80.4 year ago.
The American Iron and Steel In
stitute estimated that the holiday
dropped steel output to GIG per cent
of capacity this week, compared with
626 the preceding week and 81
year ago; but on seasonal basis
steel conditions appeared improved.
Loadings Gains Hailed.
Financial worries of the railroads
were lightened little when the As
sociation of American Railroads re-
ported that, for the first time this
year, carloadings ran ahead of year
ago in the week ended November
19. A total of 657, ATT cars of freight
was loaded, an increase of 33 per
cent from the preceding week and
of 19 per cent over the comparable
week last year. Best gains were
shown in movement of miscellaneous
freight, coal and grain.
Wards Automotive Reports. Inc,
estimated the weeks automobile as
semblies totaled 1880 and that next
weeks might pass 100000. This
weeks figure was decrease, be-
cause of the holiday, from last weeks
96,736, but was ahead of the 58,955
year ago.
The Edison Electric Institute re-
ported that in the week ended No
vember 10 electric power production
set new high for more than year
Of 2,270 296,000 kilowatt hours. This
was 27 per cent more than in the
previous week and 81 per cent better
than year ago.