Evening star., 1938-04-10
TRADE IMPROVES;
SOME INDUSTRIES
DECLINE SLIGHTLY
Freight Loadings and Steel
Rate 0ff-Auto and
Power Totals Up.
SOME CITIES REPORT
SALES ABOVE YEAR AGO
Middle Atlantic Area Shows Gains
Over 1887 Levels During
Week.
BY THOMAS f. FLANAGAN.

| AssOCIdttO FreSS FlnanClaI writer.
Retail trade braced up in the week
Just ended, but some industries suf-
fered mild sinking spell.
Lower figures were posted for freight
carloadings and steel production.
Electric power and motor output
gained.
The Associated Press index Of IN
dustrial activity declined to 688 fol-
| lowing two consecutive weekly ad-
vances. A week ago it stood at 69.3,
year ago 104.1.
| The Nations retail trade showed
some improvement in the first few
days of April, the Commerce Depart
ment reported in an analysis of 36 key
cities.
For the first time in a number of
weeks, an impressive group Of cities
reported greater trade volume. than
for the corresponding period last
| year. the department said
Steel operations fell back to 32s
per cent of capacity, the American
Iron & Steel Institute reported. This
compared with 35.7 the previous week,
29.9 month ago and 8e.9 in the like
week of 1887.
Steel Orders Uneven.
| The downturn in the production
rate bore witness to the spasmodic and
and uneven flow of business to mills,
| experts said.
Reports from steel centers noted
comparatively light orders from the
motor, railroad and construction in
dustries. At the same time it was en-
| phasized that various miscellaneous
Industries still were lending good SID
port. Manufacturers of farm machines
/ continued in the role of important
| buyers.
Steel trade observers watched the
motor industry for cue It was re-
ported that despite increased sales OF
new cars, volume of orders was not
heavy enough to indicate sizable mo-
tor production gains in the near fu-
ture. Until automobile output FORCES
ahead briskly, it was said. the indus
try probably will be a cautious buyer
Of steel.
Auto Stocks Watched.
A good deal Of interest still centered
on the question of whether motor
dealers had been successful in reduc-
ing stocks of used cars. Some Gov
eminent economists said full statisti-
cal evidence Of the recent drive to sell
these cars had not yet come to hand.
Motor production rose to 60975 cars
and trucks from $500 the previous
week and compared with 1oO,470 in
the corresponding period a year ago,
Wards Automotive Reports said.
Reporting excellent sales gains in
March, the survey said if these gains
continued the upturn would be of
somewhat better than seasonal pro-
portions
In the week ended April 2. freight
carloadings totaled 523,48e. the Asso-
citation of American Railroads re-
ported. This was 86 per cent under
the previous week and 274 per cent
under the like week of 1887. Traffic
experts noted a modest decline in
loadlngs of miscellaneous products
and doWnturns in the movement of
coal and grain.
Power Output Gains.
The Edison Electric Institute re-
ported that in the week ended April
2. power output totaled l.978,753 900
klloWatt hours. slight gain over the
preceding week but 7.8 per cent under
the like period year ago
Six of the seven major geographic
regions recorded losses from 1887 but
the Middle Atlantic district was O5
per cent higher. 1t was the first time
since the week ended January % that
any region showed improvement over
last year.
Cities which reported retail trade
improvement over last year to the
Department of Commerce included.
New Orleans, Wilmington. Milwaukee,
Norfolk, Houston. Boston. Philadel-
phia, Cincinnati, Ohama and Atlanta.
Losses from year ago were recorded
IN New York, Detroit, Indianapolis.
San Francisco, Los Angeles, Minneap-
oils, Kansas City. Charleston. Pitts
burgh and st. Louis Numerous other
centers showed business holding about
even.