Evening star., 1943-04-25
Business Briefs

Increased Business Activity boosted
Business Weeks index to 2O4.1 in
the last week, compared with 203.7
in the preceding week, 201. o a month
ago, 1887 six months ago and 177.9
a year ago.
Crude Petroleum Stocks in the
week ended April II climbed to
241 ,421 900 barrels, gain of ,496, 900
over the end of the previous week,
the Bureau of Mines reported.
Domestic oil stocks increased 1,482.-
600 barrels. while foreign crude
gained $4,000 barrels.
Construction Awards in the week
ended Thursday totaled 83.165 900,
compared with $93,573,O 900 in the
preceding week and S214269 900 in
the corresponding 1912 week, En-
gineering News-Record reported.
Commodity Price Index of McGill
Commodity Service moved slightly
higher in the week ended April %
to reach 1048, compared with 104.7
IN the previous week, but remained
below the April 8 peak of 1856. At
the start of 1943 the index was at
1907 and stood at 97.8 in April, 1912.
Canadian National Income in
February reached approximately
s700 900 900, a new record in Feb
ruary, the Bank of Montreal re-
ported. The new peak represented
an annual rate of $8,400.OOO 900.
compared with tentative 1912 total
OF $7,500,0O0000. Factory produc-
ton rose nearly 27eo above a year
ago in the first two months of 1943.
Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. an
nounced it was making available to
the Government its Buna synthetic
rubber patents, as the Standard Oil
Co. IN. j. and the Firestone did
earlier in the week.
william Wrigley, Jr., Co. earned
$1,712,911 or IS cents a share in the
nrst quarter, against $1,524,639 or
76 cents a share year ago.
Nickel Plate Railroad reported
March net income of $S99, ,7e5, COM
pared with $1,061,13 for the same
1912 month. First quarter net was
$2,282 ,639, compared with $2,512.1O0
year ago.
Erie Railroad reported March net
income of 1898, $780, against 1929 O35
a year ago, and first quarter net in
come of $2,559,349, against $780,
$50 year ago.
Colts Patent Firearms Mfg. Co.
earned 81 l,222 ,230 or $500 a share in
1912, against $2,560,868 or S13 a share
In the preceding year. Profits were
after war contract renegotiation.
Southern Pacific Transportation
System earned 1854, 1872 in March,
against $5,6S5, ,596 in March, 1912.
Rubberoid Co. earned s146,362 or
81 cents share in the first quarter,
against $188,844 or At cents a share
year ago.
Diamond Alkali Co. earned So. 1877
518 or $3.57 share in 1912, against
$4.599,l77 or $4.33 share in 1941.
National Acme Co. earned $649,8
or SIPS a share in the first quarter,
against $726,885 or $1.45 a share a
year ago.
American Home Products Corn.
earned $1.285,l54 or $1.45 a share in
the first l943 quarter, against ST.
174,259 or $l.38 a share a year ago.
Sales were 1870 above year ago.
Magma Copper Co. earned S2OS. .4o7
or 81 cents share in the first quar-
ter, compared with $266,594 or IS
cents a share year ago. Net was
before depletion.
Canadian Celanese. Ltd, sales
have continued at record levels and
in the first quarter were 1870 above
a year ago, President Camille Drey-
fus told stockholders. Profits after
taxes were proportionately higher.
Under the new Canadian tax law,
the company will have to pay a
1000 excess profits tax on all tax
able 1943 income above the equiva-
lent Of $l.88 per common share, he
said.
Eastern Gas & Fuel Associates re-
ported total consolidated income of
$16,684, ,494 available for income
taxes, depreciation and depletion re-
serves, interest, contingencies and
dividends in IL months ended March
81. After all charges, including esti-
mated income taxes, net income
available for dividends was $685.
254. In the IL months coal sales
tonnage increased 1870, the volume
of gas sold by utility subsidiaries
increased 8% and coke sales tonnage
was up 80.
Lion OIL Refining Co. earned
e160.0ie o. % cents . share In the
dkss quarter, against e25l.lel q %