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April 26, 1957 SURVEY OF CURRENT BUSINESS BUSINESS STATISTICS WEEKLY SUPPLEMENT TO THE SURVEY OF CURRENT BUSINESS Available only with subscription to the SURVEY OF CURRENT BUSINESS, at $4.00 annually, this Supplement provides selected weekly and monthly data subsequent to those published in the latest monthly SURVEY SELECTED BUSINESS INDICATORS INDEX, 1 9 4 7 - 4 9 = 100 200 INDEX, 1 9 4 7 - 4 9 = 100 1200 Weekly Monthly STEEL PRODUCTION (ingots a n d steel for castings) S 75 175 1 1957 *% 150 J 150 1956 — — ' 1I ' H 125 ^ ^ k 100 1 <\l l^™P«^ 1 v K 1 tft 1 125 ff A 1 1 1 1 I 1954 1 1 I t 1 1 1 I I t I I I -i I.I 1....1 - J — L 1 L-J, 1 1 1 I I I INDEX, 1 9 4 7 - 4 9 = 100 BILLION DOLLARS 125 I 20 I I I I 1 I III I J F M A M J J A S O N D 1957 1956 1955 SALES OF RETAIL STORES CONSUMER PRICES (seasonally adjusted) 120 All Total Items 115 10 t _g_»«». t t ,eoi»'8« U^M>>>MI Nondurable Goods I 10 Durable Goods Food 105 0 jfj I i I I I M I I I I I M t I 1-1 l"r I » I t I 1 I I I I I I I I I I I t I I I I I 1954 1955 1956 1957 90 v 80 I i i i i i i 1956 I i i i i i 1957 120 COTTON CONSUMPTION (seasonally adjusted) \J r 1955 INDEX, 1 9 4 7 - 4 9 = 100 FREIGHT CARLOADINGS* too i i i i i I i 11 i i t i i i i i 1 1954 INDEX, 1 9 4 7 - 4 9 = 100 120 1 10 I i i i i H -1 .y \S>* Y* y -sr' ( d a i l y a v e r a g e ; seas, a d j . ) I 10 A 100 H -\ 90 w^-rtK Average per working day I I JJ I I 1 1 II 1 11 U 1 i 1 1 I I 1 1 1 1 U i1 i11 1 1 I I 7 0 —i l 1 1 1 I 1 I _LI 1954 1955 1956 1957 8 0 1 i i i i i I i i i i i I i i i i i I i i i i i 1 i i i i i I i i i i i 1 i i i 11 I i i i i i 1954 1955 1956 1957 too WEEKLY BUSINESS STATISTICS1 2 1957 1956 ITEM Commodity prices, wholesale: Al 1 commodities .... Apr. 14 Apr. 21 Mar. 30 Apr. 6 Apr. 13 Apr. 20 88.6 112 S,6II 1,448 117.0 89.2 104.0 125.4 88.5 113 1,594 1,474 117.2 90.2 104.7 125.3 89.2 122 117.2 90.7 104.5 125.3 89.1 30,290 25,497 18,909 591 30,502 24,930 18,971 594 30,588 25,165 18,868 342 30,655 25,400 19,088 547 30,681 25,520 19,107 548 56,211 21,607 85,447 27,696 27,683 8,377 56,713 21,596 85,487 27,695 27,770 8,412 55,472 23,067 85,604 25,164 31,443 8,740 55,118 23,157 87,253 26,635 31,322 8,691 55,343 23,164 86,887 26,319 31,354 8,689 255 3.39 48.31 51.71 252 3.43 47.74 51.02 290 3,96 44.09 46.97 231 3.96 44.54 47.47 308 3.95 44.98 47.99 1,656 10,918 160,160 7,156 1,631 10,894 153,163 7,130 1,762 11,694 152,712 7,786 1,600 11,693 154,214 7,614 1,650 11,695 148,955 7,442 2,483 #100.9 742 380 2,466 #100.2 763 389 2,364 92.4 695 361 2,319 90.6 644 344 2,310 90.3 674 345 91.9 114 1,488 1,381 *II3.6 *88.0 * 100.4 *I2I.6 91.9 113 1,424 1,324 30,300 25,481 18,917 633 1947-49*100.. F i nance: vfederal Reserve bank credit outstanding, total 3/,...do.... Federal Reserve reporting member banks in leading cities;^/ Demand deposits, adjusted...........••.....»mi 1. of dol,. Commercial, industrial, and agr. loans (gross)..,do.... Bond yields, domestic corporate' (Moody's) ,3/.,.,..percent,. Stock prices, 500 stocks (Stand. & Poor's) 4/..194S«43«I0., 302 3.96 45.08 48.10 Production: Petroleum (crude) and condensate 3/.••••••••thous. of bbl.. Freight car loadings, total...................thous. of cars.. 142,524 2,313 90.4 J./ Data do not always cover calendar weeks. 2/ Tuesday prices. 3/, Daily average, _4/ Wednesday data; S&P's index on revised basis. j>/~Week beginning AprU 22, 1957: Production, 2?,3I0 thous, short tons; operating rate, 90,3 percent. *Monthly index for April 1956, #Not comparable with 1957 rates, which are based on higher capacity, MONTHLY BUSINESS STATISTICS 1956 1957 ITEM February March December January February March GENERAL BUSINESS INDICATORS Business incorporations: New incorporations (48 States) number,, 12,503 12,822 10,788 r 13,387 r 10,791 11,815 114.6 104.6 108.8 107.3 113.3 93.6 114.7 104.8 109.0 106.9 114.8 92.8 118.0 107.0 112.9 III.3 117.4 98.0 118.2 106.4 112.8 111.2 116.9 99.0 118.7 106.1 113.6 11 LI 116.5 101.4 l/l18.9 106.8 113.2 110.7 116.1 100.6 120.7 ill.7 t02.5 131.5 130.9 120.7 111.7 103. r 131.6 131.4 123.5 112.0 104.1 134.2 134.7 123.8 112.3 104.0 134.2 135.3 124.5 112.4 105.0 134.2 135.5 i24.9 112.4 104.9 134.4 136.4 118.9 107.5 126.9 117.0 170.5 120.9 119.2 107.7 126.7 116.8 170.8 121.2 121.8 109.3 133.1 123.3 174.1 123.3 122.1 109.9 133.6 123.8 174.9 123.8 122.6 110.0 134.4 124.5 175.8 124.0 122.9 110.5 135.1 125.2 175.8 124.2 89.0 87.3 91.9 88.7 87.2 91.7 86.0 84.7 88.6 85.5 84.6 88.7 85.5 84.2 88.0 2/85.5 2/84.1 2/88.3 6.220 28.00 6.110 24.50 6.030 21.50 6.020 25.00 6.020 27.50 P5.950 p26.00 89.180 81.294 81.30 89.320 84.079 82.31 80.654 82.062 71.46 81.989 80.465 72.52 80.905 78.395 73.38 p80.185 P78.I2I P73.38 COMMODITY PRICES Consumer price index: A f I items .... 1947-49* 100., Appare I .......... ••••• .«...do..., Food.......... ......... . .do. o., Dairy products. , , do..., Fruits and vegetables.,., , .......do,,., Meats, poultry, and fish.,.,., •••••..«do..., Housing. ••••••....do..., Gas and electricity,..,.... ..•••do..., Hou se furnishings.... *...•*•***.••. ........ do...:', Rent. ........................do..., Med i ca I care do..., Persona I care. •••......••.•..... do,.,, Reading and recreation... do,... Transportation •••'..•• .do..., Private do..., Pub lie ............ •••••'• .do..., Other goods and services ••...... ..do..., Purchasing power of the dollar as measured b y — Wholesale prices • do..., Consumer prices. .do..., Retai I food prices... .......do..,, Wholesale prices of selected commodities: Wheat flour, short patents (Minn.)..do I. per 100 lb. sack., Calves, vealers (Chicago)..... ...dol. per 100 lb., Lumber: Douglas fir, const.,No. I, 2" x 4",R.L..dol.per M bd.ft., Southern pine, boards, No. 2, I" x 6", R.L do..., Ponderosa pine, boards, No. 3, common, I" x 8".....do..., >: Meastired b y — cj Revised, p/ Preliminary. ±/ Index based on 1935-39=100 is 198.8. 2/ Indexes based on 1935-39=* 100 are as follows Digitized forwholesale FRASER prices, 44.7; consumer prices, 50.3; retail food, 43.7. "~ MONTHLY BUSINESS STATISTICS — Continued 3 1956 1957 ITEM February December March January February March N COMMODITY PRICES - Continued Wholesale prices of selected commodities - Continued Pig iron: Stee1: Steel billets, reroiling, carbon, f.o.b. ml I.I dol. per short ton.. Structural shapes (carbon), f.o.b. mill dol. per lb.. Scrap, No. 1,heavy melting (Pittsburgh).dol.per long ton.. Coal, bituminous: Screenings, indust. use, f.o.b. car at mine dol. per short ton.. 58.50 59.00 58.50 59.00 62.50 63.00 62.50 63.00 62.50 63.00 p64.50 p65.00 78.50 .0487 49.00 78.50 .0487 48.50 84.00 .0527 66.50 84.00 .0553 62.50 89.00 r.0567 53.50 p89.00 p.0567 p50.50 4.731 7.229 4.779 7.071 5.433 7.630 5,467 7.641 5.467 7.641 P5.467 p7.486 8,259 1,726 4,319 2,214 8,362 4,547 3,017 2/6,501 405 2/3,955 2/2,141 7,163 1,499 3,990 1,674 7,229 1,489 4,425 1,316 9 582 3,023 4,660 1,899 623 667 648 586 630 625 676 652 588 632 647 699 687 594 638 649 702 701 594 640 653 705 703 610 643 654 710 704 610 644 271.6 267.7 270.5 272.4 268.7 271.6 281.9 277.7 277.4 282.7 278.3 277.9 283.1 278.5 278.3 283.5 278.8 278.4 279.4 277.1 269.0 270.5 261.8 280.4 278.4 269.9 271.4 263.3 290.2 289.6 276.5 ! 275.5 276.4 291.3 290.3 277.4 275.4 276.8 291.8 291.3 278.1 275.3 278.4 292.4 291.6 278.2 275.4 278.7 271.2 265.2 272.1 266.2 277.8 270.6 278.3 270.7 278.6 270.8 278.7 270.9 7,158 6,195 12,499 11,313 5,898 5,412 5,279 4,809 7,486 6,188 12,145 10,737 CONSTRUCTION AND REAL ESTATE Highway concrete pavement contract awards: J/ Construction cost indexes: American Appraisal Co., The, average, 30 cities...1913=100.. E. H. Boeckh and Associates: Apartments, hotels, and office buildings: Brick and concrete U. S. avg. 1926-29=100.. 798 Commercial and factory buildings: Res i dences: FINANCE Federal Government finance: 57 59 59 64 53 66 5,959 944 19a 11,344 963 133 4,570 894 374 3,903 978 333 6,313 963 157 10,887 1,063 129 6,095 5,743 553 559 631 651 585 601 4,397 4,840 5,087 5,444 5,158 4,983 4,950 5,399 5,718 1957 1956 January February 5,584 November December January February TRANSPORTATION AND COMMUNICATIONS Operations on scheduled airlines: 47,988 16,756 7,145 2,810 1,653 44,500 16.108 7,181 2,645 1,507 51,671 22,803 7,522 3,040 1,656 54,232 23,344 10,482 2,913 1,765 1 56,255 20,431 7,866 3,045 1,896 487,210 281,381 164,415 322,446 66,367 49,216 481,642 279,770 160,248 317,403 65,936 49,488 520,872 297,972 176,933 352,456 68,729 52,034 536,491 304,385 185,135 348,942 i 78,940 52,475 538,572 307,397 184,278 353,586 74,122 52,897 18,720 16,658 1,155 18,395 15,985 1,522 20,250 17/879 1,713 20,828 18,135 2,264 20,680 18,299 1,371 19,182 16,924 1,306 2,903 2,145 2,692 2,066 3,078 2,205 3,094 2,072 3,034 2,231 2,689 2,249 482 369 626 728 528 197 3,083 2,453 2,961 2,390 3,569 2,653 3,591 2,641 3,332 2,443 512 465 3,656 2,519 1,069 814 843 791 Telephone carriers: Phones in service, end of month. .......thousands.. Telegraph, cable, and radiotelegraph carriers: Wire-telegraph: Operating expenses, including depreciation ..do.... Ocean-cable: Operating expenses, including depreciation do.... Radiotelegraph: rj Revised. £/ Preliminary. U Data for February 1956 and January 1957 are for 5 weeksj other months34 weeks. 2/ Data Include some id repoTiSu. MONTHLY BUSINESS STATISTICS — Continued 4 S956 !957 ITEM February March December February January FOODSTUFFS Distilled spirits, consumption for beverage purposes thous9 of wine gallons, Corn grlndfngs, wet process.....................thous, of bu, Rice, California: Receipts, domestic, rough.•...••...•••••••••••thous. ©f lb, Shipments from mills, milled rice......,....«,.<,.......do.*, Stocks, rough and cleaned (cleaned basis), end of month ..........,.».«.. «•••••••do.,, 14,616 12,036 r17,400 !1,963 25,159 10,690 14,375 15,936 10,874 59,401 38,185 57,841 30,936 75,193 35,564 55,410 39,331 126,523 98,210 100,920 103,365 97,309 91,446 75,950 6,603 1/23,370 23,020 20,365 2,655 7,149 7,840 45,508 41,231 4,277 7,335 7,892 37,484 33,580 3,905 7,282 7,099 30,110 26,817 3,293 6,658 589.0 151.7 118.1 577.7 158.9 122.2 537.9 129.6 96.3 556.9 147.7 113.0 532.9 S35.0 102.2 S,768 9,770 2,22! 3,526 2,095 2,943 2,062 4,581 4,441 3,429 760,017 916,176 631,507 840,567 684,366 20,984 19,428 10,355 518 9,633 20,888 19,350 r!2,563 503 11,740 20,237 r18,786 8,681 434 8,062 20,231 18,725 11,599 464 10,790 20,161 18,639 9,41! 471 8,749 68.9 35.9 82.3 46.1 36.2 71,0 38.2 89.6 49.5 40.1 61.0 35.0 107.5 62.2 45.3 69.8 37.7 104.6 58.2 46.4 61.3 31.9 105.6 59.2 46.4 4,995 3,266 3,264 1,729 5.995 4,372 4,332 1,623 7,260 4,272 4,272 2,988 r8,403 4,686 4 ,686 r3,717 r8,184 4,576 4,576 r3,608 858 837 53 53 812 784 54 54 842 724 9 5 840 728 9 3 832 732 23 1! METALS AND MANUFACTURES Iron ore (Lake Superior district); Consumption by furnaces.«..,..SA.*..#..thous. of long tons, Stocks, end of month, total............................do.., AT T U m a C e S © aeo»«>03oeofaooeooQoosoQoe©©OGo©OQOOo©©eo©OO.© v/H L.SK6 t r I e Q O C K S eoo<s©QooQo©©&ooe>saoe©oo©oGQ©o<»fflesoOO. . Pig iron, production..••••••.•••••••••••fhous. of short tons, Steel forgings (for sale): Orders, unfilled, total........................... do.., Shipments, total»•••••••••••••••••••••••••'•••••........do98, Drop and upset..... .•'•...»..._.. •••••,••..,.,...,..»• do.,, Furnaces, industrial, new orders, net; Electric processing, thpus, of dol, 849,,e..,...e Fuel-fired (except for hot rolling steel)..eo.9.,9.ooadose, TEXTILE PRODUCTS Cotton? 2/ Consumpt ion.... •••••••••••••••••••••••••• bales, Manufactures; Spindle activity (cotton system spindles); Active spindles, last working day, total.....thousands Consuming 100 percent cotton.... do.. Spindle hours operated, all fibers, total...mi I, of hr, Average per working day,*..,,.......,* do,, Consuming S00 percent cotton.••••••••••••••••••• do.., Rayon and acetate: Production: Filament yarn ••••••••• ....mil. of lb, Staple Unci, tow).,......., ..do.., 1 Stocks, producers , end of month, total do.., Fi Iament yarn .....••• do.., Staple Unci. tow).. .do.., TRANSPORTATION EQUIPMENT Railway equipment, American Railway Car Institute: Freight cars: S h I pment s, tota I number, Equipment manufacturers, total do.., Domest ic.. ..........do.., Railroad shops, domestic.... , ...do.. Passenger cars, equipment manufacturers: Orders unfilled, end of month, total... .. do.., Domest ic... •••..•••••••••••..• • do.., S h i pments, tota I .......do.., Domest ic do.., rj Revised. J / Total f o r January-March 1956. 2/ Data for March 1956 and January 1957 cover 5 weeks; other months / 4 weeks. PENALTY FOR PRIVATE USE TO AVOID PAYMENT OF POSTAGE, $300 UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE DIVISION OF PUBLIC DOCUMENTS WASHINGTON 25, D. C. OFFICIAL BUSINESS FIRST CLASS WEEKLY SUPPLEMENT SURVEY OF CURRENT BUSINESS
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