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December 16, 1955
BUSINESS
STATISTICS
80S.NESS
A WEEKLY SUPPLEMENT TO THE SURVEY OF CURRENT BUSINESS
Available only with subscription to the SURVEY OF CURRENT BUSINESS, at $3.25 annually, this Supplement provides selected
weekly and monthly data subsequent to those published in the latest monthly SURVEY
SELECTED BUSINESS INDICATORS
INDEX, 1947-49 = 100
175
INDEX, 1947-49= 100
175
Monthly
STEEL PRODUCTION (ingots and steel for castings)
150 -
I 50
r-*—-V
125
1 r\r\
"A^ / /
\/
V
^
^
\
125
/
100
/
2 Vs /
22.9
75
Jfi.
1 1 1
1 1
1 f
1
> 1 1
I
I
I
1 I
.
I
1 1 .
i
i
1953
1952
i
i
i
i
i
i
i
i
i
l
i
i
1954
BILLION DOLLARS
I
1 I
i
i
i
I
JFMAMJJASOND
1955
BILLION DOLLARS
40
350
300
i
PERSONAL INCOME
CONSUMER CREDIT OUTSTANDING
(seasonally adjusted, at annual rates)
(short- and intermediate-term)
Total
250
Wage 8 Salary
Disbursements
\
200 -
1 5 0 l^>i 111 I i i i i i 1 i i i i i 1 i i i i i 1 i i i i i I i i i i i 1 i i i i i 11 i i i t
1952
1953
1954
1955
INDEX, 1947-49 = 100
180
MANUFACTURING EMPLOYMENT &
PAYROLLS (production workers)
160
vih*/^/***^
Payrolls
y*xf
140
~ f
1952
1953
1954
1955
DOLLARS
2.20
HOURS
56
MANUFACTURING HOURS & EARNINGS
o
2.00
52
Average Hourly
Gross Earnings
(left scale)
\
1.80
/
120
-
48
Average Hours
Per Week
1.60
44
(right scale)
>
y
100
1.40
40
Employment
80 > m i l
1 11 II 1 II II | I I i i i 1 * i i i i
1952
1953
1954
1 1 1 1 1 1 M 1 1 1
1955
1.20
ill!
1952
1953
LLI
1954
l I IIII
1955
36
WEEKLY BUSINESS STATISTICS1
1954
1955
ITEM
Dec. 4
Commodity prices, wholesale:
A 1 1 commod ities
Farm products
•
.... 1947-49=100..
do....
do....
do....
do....
do....
thous..
All other
22 commod i t i es 2/
Department store sales....
Insured unemployment, total 3/
jdo....
State programs
Finance:
mi 1. of d o L .
Currency in circulation 4/
Federal Reserve bank credit outstanding, total 4/....do....
Member bank reserve balances 4/
do
do....
Excess reserves, estimated 4/
Federal Reserve reporting member banks in leading cities:^/
....mi 1. of dol..
Demand deposits, adjusted
do....
Loans and investments (adjusted^, total.
do....
U. S. Government obligations
Commercial, industrial, and agr. loans (gross)...do....
do....
Real-estate loans (gross)....
Bond yields, domestic corporate (Moody's) 4/
percent..
Stock prices,480 stocks (Standard and Poor 7s).1935-39*100..
do....
Industrials, 420 stocks
Production:
Bituminous coal 4/
thous . of short tons.,
.mi 1. of kw.-hr..
Electric power, by utilities
number..
Passenger cars and trucks (Ward's)
..thous. of bbl..
thous . of short tons..
Stee 1 6/
Percent of capacity 6/
Fre i ght car 1oad i ngs, tota1
.thous. of cars..
do....
Dec. II
Nov. 19
Dec. 3
Nov. 26
1 11.1
83.9
98.2
119.2
89.0
197
90.2
192
1,772
1,576
•109.5
•89.9
•103.5
*l 14 9
90.3
224
1,776
1,583
88.6
142
917
826
88.8
146
1,029
932
30,550
25,918
19,052
588
30,710
26,080
19,162
718
30,774
26,272
18,883
601
30,919
26,208
19,036
615
31,018
26,012
18,794
439
56,414
21,198
85,783
37,106
22,214
7,083
56,583
21,262
85,583
36,752
22,255
7,088
56,027
21,628
85,781
30,377
25,783
8,143
56,386
21,616
85,369
29,961
25,833
8,181
56,858
21,592
85,310
29,643
25,997
8,183
221
3.13
258.2
289.1
223
3.13
264.7
296.7
214
3.28
327.4
376.8
205
3.30
326.1
375.1
209
3.31
326.6
375.3
1,434
9,612
166,703
6,286
1,480
9,846
170,723
6,341
1,743
11,149
206,536
6,851
1,806
10,727
173,943
6.859
1,742
11,359
206,244
6,836
1,941
#81.4
662
349
1,958
#82.1
654
338
2,394
99.2
772
379
2,356
97.6
728
377
2,416
100. 1
677
341
Dec. 10
II1.1
84.0
98.0
1 19.3
89.6
31,177
26,274
18,869
479
219
3.32
327.7
377.4
210,034
2,416
100. 1
Jj Data do not always cover calendar weeks. 2/ Tuesday prices. 3/ Includes UCFE program beginning January 8, 1955. ±/ Daily average.
{[/""Wednesday data. 6/ Week ended December. 17: Production, 2,397 thous. short tons; operating rate, 99.3 percent. • Monthly index for
December 1954. # Not comparable with 1955 rates which are based on higher capacity as reported January I, 1955.
MONTHLY BUSINESS STATISTICS
1954
1954
ITEM
September
October
August
July
September
October
GENERAL BUSINESS INDICATORS
Personal income, by source, seasonally adj., at annual rates
Total personal income
bil. of do I.
Wage and salary disbursements, total
do...
Commodity-producing industries
.do...
Distributive industries
do...
Service industr ies
do...
Government
do...
Other labor income
do...
Proprietors' and rental income
do...
Personal interest income and dividends
do...
Transfer payments
do...
Less personal contributions for social insurance...do...
Total nonagricultural income
do...
Farm income and marketings:
Cash receipts from farming, including Government payments,
total
mil. of do I.
Farm marketings and CCC loans, total
do...
Crops
do...
Livestock and products, total
do...
Dairy products
do...
Meat animals
do...
Poultry and eggs
do...
Indexes of cash receipts from marketings and CCC loans: U
AI I commod it ies
1935-39* 100.
Crops
do...
Livestock and products
do...
Indexes of volume of farm marketings: _[/
A11 commodities
do...
Crops
do...
Livestock and products
do...
287.9
195.8
82.8
52.5
26.3
34.2
288.4
196.8
83.4
52.7
26.5
34.2
305.3
212.4
91.7
55.7
27.8
37.2
305.3
211.2
91.5
56.1
27.9
35.7
r307.9
r2l2.4
r92.2
r56.4
r28.0
35.8
309.6
213.6
92.9
56.7
28.1
35.9
6.6
49.0
24.7
16.3
4.5
272.1
6.7
47.5
24.9
17.0
4.5
273.8
7.0
47.9
26.4
16.9
5.3
291.7
7.0
48.8
26.7
16.9
5.3
290.8
r7.l
49.7
27.1
rl6.9
7.1
49.8
27.5
16.9
5.3
294.8
3,213
3,201
1,803
1,398
326
801
256
3,586
3,577
2,082
1,495
334
867
279
2,071
2,061
868
1,193
371
543
259
2,436
2,426
1,095
1,331
354
685
279
3,067
3,054
1,678
1,376
337
707
318
3,644
3,629
2,088
1,541
344
836
347
483
637
368
540
736
394
311
307
314
366
387
350
461
593
362
547
738
406
204
240
177
226
270
193
143
127
156
165
157
171
203
240
175
242
297
201
208.2
207.6
208.6
r208.9
208.6
5.3
r293.0
COMMODITY PRICES
RetaiI price:
All commodities (U.S.Dept. of Commerce index).1935-39*100.
r/ Revised.
\J Unadjusted.
208.1
MONTHLY BUSINESS STATISTICS — Continued
1955
1954
ITEM
October
November
August
September
October
November
CONSTRUCTION AND REAL ESTATE
Contract awards (Engineering News-Record):
Engineering construction \J
Construction cost indexes:
Associated General Contractors (all types)
Engineering Mews-Record: Bui Idlng 2/
Construction 2/
DOMESTIC TRADE
All retail stores:
Estimated sales (unadjusted), total 3/
Durable-goods stores:
Automotive group
Furniture and appliance group
Nondurable-goods stores:
Appare I group
Drug and propr ietary stores
Eating and drinking places
Food group
«
Gasoline service stations
Genera I-merchandise group
Estimated inventories (adjusted), total
Durab le-goods stores
Nondurab le-goods stores
Firms with II or more stores, estimated sales:
Unadjusted
Adjusted
Department store sales. United States total:
Unadjusted index
Adjusted index
Wholesale trade:
Sales, estimated (unadjusted), total
Durab I e-goods estab I i shment s
Nondurab le-goods estab 11 shments
Inventories, estimated (unadjusted), total
Durab le-goods estab I ishments
Nondurab le-goods estab I i shments
996
1,215
1,240
1,786
1,526
1,369
1913-100.
1947-49-100.
do...
432
135.0
141.8
432
135.1
141.9
443
141.7
148.5
441
142.0
148.8
141.8
148.6
446
141.6
148.6
mil. of dol.
14,665
14,531
15,622
15,905
rl5,824
15,603
do...
do...
2,491
812
2,478
836
3,435
854
3,367
822
r2,964
r909
2,899
912
do...
do.. •
do...
do...
do...
do...
do...
do. • •
do...
911
406
1,139
3,661
1,017
1,686
22,000
9,980
12,020
920
398
1,067
3,452
994
1,821
22,080
10,030
12,050
740
432
1,282
3,617
1,108
1,562
23,350
10,850
12,500
910
425
1,220
3,766
1,049
1.674
23,230
10,720
12,510
r974
r437
1,204
r3,705
rl,083
r1,807
23,280
10,730
12,550
1,002
424
1,123
3,595
1,045
1,964
do...
do...
2,802
2,607
2,743
2,660
2,713
2,836
2,896
2,875
2,949
2,820
1947-49.100.
do...
118
r 113
137
113
105
118
123
121
128
122
9,470
3,100
6,370
11,940
5,640
6,300
9,630
3,020
6,610
11,920
5,610
6,310
10,540
3,570
6,970
10,660
3,590
7,070
11,870
5,970
5,900
rl0,730
3,640
r7,090
rl2,l80
6,000
r6,180
64,882
62,141
7,239
54,902
2,741
64,624
61,732
6,154
55,577
2,893
67,726
65,488
7,536
57,952
2,237
66,882
64,733
7,875
56,858
67,292
65,161
7,905
57,256
2,131
67,206
64,807
6,920
57,887
2,398
48,580
16,007
743
2,652
4,005
10,548
2,136
5,660
6,829
48,808
16,057
749
2,598
3,986
10,745
2,134
5,622
6,917
49,858
16,807
754
2,746
4,137
10,638
2,241
5,818
6,717
r50,322
rl6,9l5
758
r2,748
r4,l52
r10,824
r2,223
r50,46l
r16,985
r75O
r2,682
r4,143
r2,2l2
r5,729
r7,054
p50,608
p17,084
p753
p2,568
P 4,I42
pi 1,082
p2,209
P 5,693
P7,077
12,612
7,081
100
692
301
438
969
829
1,093
800
1,249
218
393
12,657
7,198
98
685
301
438
988
844
1,092
811
1,334
218
390
13,262
7,553
88
731
313
472
1,112
877
1,155
818
1,379
220
388
r13,373
7,623
r87
r320
r479
rl,l34
894
rl,l49
r855
1,357
r223
400
r13,442
r7,726
r84
r7l6
r323
r479
1,138
r903
rI,196
r884
rl,370
r227
r406
p13,535
p7,885
p82
p703
p323
p478
pI,f46
p9l5
pl,22l
p876
p1,507
p227
p407
5,531
1,180
112
979
1,057
444
520
534
175
202
330
5,459
1,111
103
983
1,060
444
518
533
173
202
332
5,709
1,250
105
986
1,101
459
520
543
176
217
351
r5,750
rl,245
114
r989
rl,H5
462
r530
r553
174
223
346
r5,7l6
rl,l88
113
r99l
rl,!23
r465
r536
r557
M72
r226
345
p5,650
pi,107
p97
p998
p 1,132
p467
p539
p558
p 171
p23l
p350
102.0
100.6
139.1
102.3
101.6
142.2
107.2
rlO6.I
154.6
r108.I
106.4
r158.7
r 108.7
r107.3
M6I.I
p109.4
p108.8
p164.4
mil. of dol.
mil. of dol.
do...
do.. •
I do...
do...
do...
pl49
pl23
12,610
6,060
6,550
EMPLOYMENT AND WAGES
Labor force (Bureau of the Census):
Civilian labor force
thousands.
Emp loyed
do...
Agr icu IturaI emp loyment
do...
Nonagr i cu I tura I emp I oyment
do.. •
Unemp loyed
do...
Employees in nonagricuIturaI establishments:
Total, unadjusted (U. S. Dept. of Labor)
thousands.
Manuf actur i ng.
.do.. •
Mining
do...
Contract construct 1 on
do. •.
Transportation and public utilities
do...
Wholesale and retail trade
do...
Finance, insurance, and real estate
do...
Service and miscellaneous...
do...
Government
do. •.
Production workers in manufacturing industries:
Tota I
do...
Durab Ie-goods i ndustr ies
do. •.
Ordnance and accessor ies
do.. •
Lumber and wood products (except furniture)
do...
Furniture and fixtures
do...
Stone, clay, and glass products
do...
Pr imary meta I i ndustr ies
do. •.
Fabr icated meta I products 4/
do...
Machinery (except electrical)
do...
E lectr lea I mach I nery
do...
Transportation equ Ipment
do...
Instruments and related products
do...
Miscellaneous manufacturing industries..
do...
Nondurab le-goods industr ies
do....
Food and kindred products
do....
Tobacco manufactures.
do....
Texti le-mi 11 products
do....
Apparel and other finished textile products
do....
Paper and allied products
do....
Printing, publishing, and allied products
do....
Chemicals and allied products
do....
Products of petroleum and coal
do....
Rubber products
do....
Leather and leather products..
do....
Manufacturing production-worker indexes:
Emp I oyment: Unadjusted
1947-49.100..
Adjusted
do....
P a y r o M s , unadjusted
do....
2,149
5,791
6,911
r726
rl0,906
rj Revised. £ / Preliminary. \J Data for September 1955 are for 5 weeks; other months, 4 weeks. 2/ Data reported at the beginning of
each month are shown here for the previous month. 3/ November 1955 figures are advance estimates, 4/ Except ordnance, machinery, and
transportation equipment.
MONTHLY BUSINESS STATISTICS — Continued
1955
1954
ITEM
October
November
August
September
October
Noye«ber
EMPLOYMENT AND MAGES - Continued
Hours and earnings:
Average weekly hours per worker, all manufacturing..hours..
Durab Ie-goods industries..
do.. •.
Nondurab Ie-goods i ndustr ies
do....
Average weekly earnings, all manufacturing
dollars..
Durab Ie-goods i ndustr ies
do....
Nondurab Ie-goods i ndustr ies
do....
39.9
40.4
39.2
72.22
77.97
65.07
40.2
40.8
39.5
73.57
79.15
65.97
40.6
41.1
39.9
76.33
82.61
67.83
40.9
41.5
40.2
77.71
84.25
69.14
r4l. I
r4l.7
r40.3
r78.50
r85.07
r69.32
P4I.2
P42.0
p40.1
P79.52
p86.10
p69.77
Average hourly earnings, all manufacturing...
Durab I e-goods i ndustr ies
Ordnance and accessor ies
Lumber and wood products (except furniture)
Furniture and fixtures
Stone, clay, and glass products
Primary metal industries
Fabricated metal products ±/
Machinery (except electrical)...
E lectr ica I machinery
Transportat i on equ i pment
Instruments and related products
Miscellaneous manufacturing industries
dollars..
".do....
do....
do....
do....
do....
do....
do....
do....
do....
do....
do....
do....
1.81
1.93
2.01
1.68
1.58
1.78
2.13
1.92
2.03
1.84
2.1$
1.85
1.61
1.83
1.94
2.01
1.67
1.58
1.81
2.14
1.93
2.03
1.84
2.18
1.85
1,61
1.88
2.01
2.04
rl.74
1.63
1.86
2.27
rl.99
r2.09
rl.87
2.24
1.91
1.65
1.90
2.03
2.08
1.74
1.63
1.88
2.33
2.00
2.1!
1.89
2.26
.93
.67
1.91
2.04
r2.08
rl.72
rl.65
rl.88
r2.3l
2.02
r2.13
1.90
2.28
1.94
1.68
pi.93
p2.05
p2.09
pi.69
pi.65
pi.89
p2.32
p2.03
p2.15
pi.90
p2.30
pi.93
pi.68
Nondurab I e-goods i ndustr ies....
Food and kindred products
Tobacco manufactures
••...
Text i le-mi i I products.
Apparel and other finished textile products
Paper and allied products
Printing, publishing, and allied industries
Chemicals and allied products
Products of petroleum and coal
Rubber products
•
Leather and leather products
do....
do....
do.
do....
do....
do....
do....
do....
do....
do....
do....
1.66
1.67
1.24
1.37
1.34
1.78
2.29
1.91
2.28
2.01
1.39
1.67
1.70
1.29
1.37
1.34
1.78
2.30
1.93
2.29
2.02
1.39
1.70
1.73
rl.29
rl.38
1.35
1.85
2.35
2.01
2.38
r2.09
rl.39
.72
.75
.25
.40
.35
.86
2.37
2.03
2.42
2.10
1.41
1.72
1.77
1.25
1.41
rl.36
rl.87
2.37
r2.0l
r2.40
r2.12
rl.42
pl.74
pi.82
pi.35
pi.42
pi.36
pi.88
p2.36
p2.04
p2.4l
P2.I6
pl.44
Federal Government finance:
Gross debt (direct), end of month, total
mil. of do I..
I nterest bear ing, tota I
do....
Pub I ic i ssues
do....
Spec i a I i ssues
do....
Non I nterest bear ing
do....
Obligations guaranteed by U.S.Government, end of mo..do....
278,752
276,400
234,161
42,238
2,352
34
278,853
276,511
234,160
42,351
2,342
34
278,309
275,711
231,472
44,238
2,598
43
277,476
274,879
230,988
43,891
2,597
48
279,818
277,277
233,619
43,657
2,541
48
280,136
277,628
233,615
44,013
2,508
53
3,363
2,715
3,339
2,693
9,130
5,175
3,154
2,553
3,061
2,473
9,222
5,254
3,653
3,039
r3,670
r2,967
r8,454
r4,948
3,543
2,872
3,471
2,759
8,526
5,062
r3,43l
r2,728
r3,360
r2,605
r8,597
r5,186
FINANCE
LUMBER AND MANUFACTURES
Lumber (National Lumber Manufacturers Association):
Production, total
mil. of bd. ft..
Softwoods
do....
Sh i pments, tota I
do....
Softwoods
do....
Stocks, gross (mill and concentration yards).
do....
Softwoods
do
rj Revised. jgj. Preliminary. J./ Except ordnance, machinery, and transportation equipment.
UNITED STATES
GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE
DIVISION OF PUBLIC DOCUMENTS
WASHINGTON 25, D. C.
OFFICIAL BUSINESS
FIRST CLASS
WEEKLY SUPPLEMENT
SURVEY OF CURRENT BUSINESS
PENALTY FOR PRIVATE USE TO AVOID
PAYMENT OF POSTAGE, $300
@FedFRASER