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BUSINESS
°F
December 28, 1956
STATISTICS
BUSINESS t c °
A 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, 1947-49 = 100
175
INDEX, 1947-49 = 100
175
Monthly
STEEL PRODUCTION (ingots a n d steel for castings)
150 h
150
125
H 125
100
H 100
75
l_J^L_J m J^J_^l_J.^^^
1953
I 1 I I 1 M
1954
I I I
I I \ I I i I _____
1955
«. I
I
i
» I
i
i • l
I
I
J F M A M J J A S O N D
1956
INDEX, 1935-39 = 100
500
INDEX, 1935-39 = 100
500
Monthly
PRICES OF 420 INDUSTRIAL STOCKS
(Wednesday close)
400
/^^^a^X^
^ ^ ^ f c ~"
400
H
H 300
1
200
300
200
100
^x,a^JLU™J™Li™i™-LJ™L™ „J=a™J__JL»U_J^
_J^X*J^^JJLJ_L^
1954
1953
.™JL^Jl^LjJ-^^
1955
JFMAMJ
1956
J A S OND
INDEX, 1 9 4 7 - 4 9 = 1 0 0
INDEX, 1947-49 = 100
125
130
CONSUMER PRICES
COTTON CONSUMPTION
(daily average; seas, adj.)
120
120
All Items
I 15
SIO
110
Food
iOO
V\
•
105 g i n i I i i i I I 1 i i i i i I i i i M 1 i i i i i I i M l I 1 i I i i l I I M I I
1953
1954
1955
1956
90
•
~
\AV°
\
JJJJjJjUUJ_JL i M11111111
\A
^W-
i i i i i i M i i j _ 1 1 1 l j j . _l . l l l-U
WEEKLY BUSINESS STATISTICS1
2
1956
1955
ITEM
Dec. 17
Dec. 24
Dec. 1
Dec. 8
Dec. 22
Dec. 15
Commodity prices, wholesale:
89.2
255
1,18!
1,069
•111.3
•82.9
•98.2
•119.8
89.9
231
1,261
1,144
93.8
197
1,219
1,116
31,244
26,428
18,950
462
31,364
27,101
19,446
654
31,355
26,374
19,375
716
31,450
26,165
19,068
440
31,660
26,633
19,220
520
58,558
21,615
85,698
29,559
26,317
8,156
58,739
21,636
86,846
30,260
26,627
8, 158
56,632
21,76!
86,207
26,14!
30,407
8,855
56,745
21,780
86,171
25,820
30,480
8,848
58,215
21,874
86,497
25,883
30,819
8,854
247
3.34
324.9
374.1
181
3.35
327.9
378.4
254
3.95
326.8
380.3
270
3.96
339.9
398.0
249
3.97
337.7
395.2
1,78!
11,602
196,422
6,946
1,864
11,614
169,984
6,992
1,823
12,075
185,038
7,133
1,773
12,047
191,667
7,353
1,777
12,220
182,548
7,355
1,42!
#100.3
709
368
2,338
#96.9
672
342
2,489
101.1
752
375
2,493
101.3
738
377
2,522
102.4
717
367
............do....
A11 other..
22 commodities 2 /
Department store sales
1nsured unemp1oyment, tota1
do....
do....
Finance:
Currency in circulation 3/
Federal Reserve bank credit outstanding, rota! 3/
do....
Member bank reserve balances 3/
Excess reserves, estimator! 3/
do....
Federal Reserve reporting member banks in leading cities:47
Time deposits, except U. S. Government
do..,s
Loans and investments (adjusted), total.,
».do....
U. S. Government obligations
...do....
Commercial, industrial, and agr. loans (gross)...do....
Real-estate loans (gross)...
,.
do
Bond yields, domestic corporate (Moody's)
Stock prices, 480 stocks (Stand.& Poor's) 4/..1935-39=100..
1 16.0
86.8
103.2
124.5
93.5
227
1,250
1,146
I 16.1
87.7
102.8
124.1
92.3
116.2
88.5
103.1
124.6
93.2
260
31,835
27,223
19,535
578
214
4.00
339.9
398.0
Production:
>. of short tons..
,.mi 1. of kw.-hr..
Petroleum (crude) and condensate 3/
,..thous. of bb1..
>. of short tons..
.thous. of cars..
dn
177,117
2,51!
102.0
U Data do not always cover calendar weeks, 2/ Tuesday prices. 5/ Daily average. 4/ Wednesday data. J5/ Data for 1956 adjusted to
revised classification of class I railroads. * Monthly index for December 1955. # Not comparable with 1956 rates which are based on
higher capacity.
MONTHLY BUSINESS STATISTICS
1956
1955
ITEM
October
November
August
September
October
November
GENERAL BUSINESS INDICATORS
Bus i ness i ncorporat i ons:
10,698
10,157
11,339
9,583
11,546
9,749
919
81
136
180
437
85
945
70
133
196
462
84
1,101
95
146
195
567
98
932
72
146
140
489
85
1,158
82
182
198
584
112
999
86
171
166
482
94
34,777
3,655
8,713
10,407
9,586
2,416
42,783
1,239
9,744
14,106
12,626
5,068
55,040
4,127
7,507
17,828
14,772
10,806
39,313
2,058
7,840
9,539
15,656
4,220
50,004
3,629
11,145
17,345
12,368
5,517
39,886
1,854
11,099
11,714
11,476
3,743
Industrial and commercial failures:
do....
do....
do....
..thous. of dol..
do....
do....
do....
do....
COMMODITY PRICES
U Index based on 1935-39^100 is 197.0.
http://fraser.stlouisfed.org/
3 %,<(•*.
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis
....1947-49=100..
do....
do....
do....
do....
do....
do....
do....
i
114.9
104.6
110.8
107.5
108.5
100.9
115.0
104.7
109.8 j
107.8
109.0
97.1
116.8
105.5
H3.I
109.2
120.7
99.9
117.1
106.5
113.1
109.8
114.8
101.3
117.7
106.8
113. 1
110.7
113.9
100.8
120.8
111.2
104.4
130.8
128.7
120.9
III.5
104.5
130.9
129.8
122.2
112.1
102.6
133.2
133.3
122.5
112.2
103.3
133.4
134.0 i
122.8
1 12.0
103.6
133.4
S34.1
123.0
1 1 1.8
103.8
133.8
134.5
117.0
106.7
126.6
117.1
167.1
120.6
117.5
106.8
128.5
119. 1
167.8
120.6 1
120.3 |
107.9 !
128.5
118.6
172.9
122.1
120.5
108.4
128.6
118.7 i
173.0
122.7
120.8
108,5
132.6
122,9
173.0
123.0
121.4
109.0
133.2
123.5
173.4
123.2
8/117.8
107.0
112.9
HI.!
M5.8
98.8
i
MONTHLY BUSINESS STATISTICS — Continued
3
1956
1955
ITEM
October
COMMODITY PRICES - Continued
Purchasing power of the dollar as measured b y Wholesale pr ices
•.
.... 1947-49= 100,
Consumer pr ices,
•
................do,,«
Retai I food prices
.
•.
.......
••••do.,.
Wholesale prices of selected commodities:
Wheat flour, short patents (Minn.K.dol. 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 e L e „........do.•.
Ponderosa pine, boards, N o , 3, common, I" x 8"
do,,.
Pig iron:
Basic (furnace).
dpi. per long ton.
Foundry, N o , 2 , Northern,
do...
SteeI:
Structural shapes (carbon), f.o.b. mi|l«,.,,dol # per lb.
Scrap, No.I,heavy melting (Pittsburgh).doS.per long ton.
Coal, bituminous:
Screenings, indust. use, f.o.b. car at mine
do I. per short ton.
Large domestic sizes, f.o.b. car at mine....
do...
Petroleum, crude .(Oklahoma-Kansas),at we!Is...dol.per bbl.
November
August
September
October
89.6
87.0
90.3
89.9
87.0
91.1
87.2
85.6
88.4
86.6
85.4
88.4
r86.5
85.0
88.4
6.275
26.00
6.165
22.00
6.040
23.50
6.050
21.00
5.950
22.50
89.180
80,683
80.130
87.962
81.474
79.360
86.773
81.884
77.390
85.089
81.884
73.530
r83.159
r81.794
r70.830
58.50
59.00
58.50
59.00
62.50
63.00
62.50
63.00
62.50
63.00
.0487
44.50
.0487
45.50
.0527
54.00
.0527
58.50
.0527
55.50
4.706
7.166
2.82
4.722
7.187
2.82
5.083
6.987
2.82
5.091
7.120
2.82
r5,426
rf.546
2.82
61,135
1,863
1,475
54,856
1,797
1,388
61,271
2,069
1,621
53,757
2,025
1,540
48,669
1,706
1,332
268.5
264.4
266.2
269.1
265.1
266 7
280.2
275.9
277 2
280.8
276.7
281.0
276.9
276.3
273.8
264.6
266.4
259.0
276.8
274.4
265.2
266.9
259.4
288.2
287.3
275.9
276.2
273.2
288.9
288.6
275.9
275.4
274.9
289.2
288.8
276.0
275.3
275.1
266.8
260.8
267.4
261.3
277.8
271.0
277.4
270.5
277,
270,
..mil, of dol,
do...
do, • •
do...
..do...
do...
2,998
2,692
62
1,873
890
173
5,527
4,662
65
4,215
1,008
240
5,959
4,954
64
4,772
1,030
93
6,897
6,218
60
5,846
869
122
3,660
3,184
75
2,185
1,149
250
.do.
.........do.
do.
do.
do.
5,355
542
359
3,293
1,161
5,172
542
423
3,109
1,099
5,902
567
p383
p3,580
pi,371
4,918
570
p345
P3,I53
p850
5,995
582
$>40f
p3,778
pi,234
47,014
70,722
1,705
10,340
47,263
73,491
1,385
10,723
47,922
72,202
1,046
9,160
r45,692
74,808
1,003
10,130
49,343
70,277
1,356
11,757
10,273
7,809
84,693
107,005
10,310
6,124
75,535
111,181
12,138
8,111
84,495
108,512
H,9I2
r6,969
89,261
114,430
10,949
10,171
95,494
119,056
197
17,698
31,174
186
17,206
29,980
196
19,720
24,143
198
17,468
22,690
189
20,004
27,002
3,880
8,374
415
3,495
8,394
451
3,815
7,395
443
3,945
8,579
324
3,837
9,390
396
385
44,619
48,460
26,498
62,159
643
44,665
48,272
25,197
62,200
554
37,826
44,288
21,171
57,121
279
r37,598
r44,3!4
r2I,759
60,237
564
43,493
48,789
25,691
67,176
CONSTRUCTION AND REAL ESTATE
Construction contracts awarded, 37 States (F.W.Dodge C o r p . ) :
Tota I projects
number.
Total valuation.....
mil* of dol.
Bui Iding, total
.«••••
do,..
Construction cost index:
E . H. Boeckh and Associates:
Apartments, hotels, and office buildings:
Brick and concrete
U. S. avg, 1926-29=100.
Brick and steel
....do...
Brick and w o o d e i c 5 I C I I C c ; : ; ; i S S S i ; i i i ; i » ^ . i i # # . . . . d o . , .
Commercial and factory buildings:
Brick and concrete
do...
Brick and steel
do...
Brick and wood.......
do...
Frame
.do...
Stee I....
do,..
Res i dences:
Brick
do...
Frame.
.do...
FINANCE
Federal Government finance:
Receipts, total.
•••••*,
Rece i pts, not.
Customs.
Income and employment taxes
Miscellaneous internal revenue
All other receipts
Expend itures, tota I
Interest on public debt,
Veterans' services and benefits
Major national security.
All other expenditures,..
CHEMICALS AND ALLIED PRODUCTS
Organic chemicals, production:
Acetic acid (synthetic and natural)..........thous. of lb.
Acet i c anhydr ide
•.......••
do...
Acetylsal icyl ic acid (aspirin)
do...
Creosote oil,,,.
thous, of gal,
DDT
thous. of lb.
Ethyl acetate (85#)
do...
Ethylene g lycoI
do...
Formaldehyde (37# HCH0)
do...
Methanol:
NaturaI ( 100$)
thous, of gaI.
Synthetic ( I00#)
do...
Phthalic anhydride.....
thous. of lb.
Synthetic plastics and resin materials, production:
CeIlulose acetate and mixed ester plastics:
Sheets, rods, and tubes....,
thous. of lb.
Molding and extrusion materials
.........do...
Nitrocellulose sheets, rods, and t u b e s S 9 6 e s 9 9 4 6
do88,
Other cellulose plastics..
Phenolic and other tar acid resins
Po Systyrene..,
Urea and me I amine resins
V i ny I res ins
,
£/' Kevised.
£/' preliminary.
retaiI food, 43,8,
±/
.
do.
do.
do.
do.
do.
Indexes based on 1935-39=100 are as follows:
Measured by—wholesale prices, 45.2; consumer prices, 50.8J
MONTHLY BUSINESS STATISTICS — Continued
4
1955
S956
ITEM
August
October
September
October
November
CHEMICALS AND ALLIED PRODUCTS - Continued
Synthetic plastics and resin materials, production - Con,
Alkyd resins........,,,.,.,,„,,,oe.oe,9ea8eeethouse of lb.
Ros i n mod i f i cat Ions..................................do„..
Polyester resins,,..
• •••••••••••••.•••••••• 0dOe . ,
Polyethylene resins*
• ••.•••.••••••.•.••.••• „dOe . .
M i see 11aneous,
•••••••••••••••••••••••9dOs . .
FOODSTUFFS
DistiI led spirits:
Product ion
,.,.,,,,....,.,»,..,,, .thous.of tax gaI,
Tax-paid withdrawals,..... .........
.....
. 0 .».
.. 0 ...„ 9a do a90
s . 0....
Stocks, end of month,,,.
.................do...
Whisky:
Product ion.
.....do,.,
Tax-paid withdrawals,, .... ••••••• • .......
....
...........do...
Stacks, end of month,«
...#............
Rectified spirits and wines, prod„.
sothous, of proof gal.
Wh i sky,
s „.do...
Li vestock:
Cattle and calves:
Receipts, principal markets,,....
thous. of animals,
Shipments, to 9 corn-belt States,..........,
do,,6
Hogs:
Receipts, principal markets®.*
t9...8..do.9
Sheep and lambs:
Receipts, principal markets, .....
,,,,,,
do,,
Shipments, feeder, to 9 corn-belt States...........do..
TEXTILE PRODUCTS
Cotton: J7
Consumpt i o n 8 8 . , 9 . 9 . , , „ , „ M , M S , , M
,,
.bales..
Manufactures:
Spindle activity (cotton system spindles):
Active spindles, last working day, total,. .thousands..
Consuming 100 percent cottoneosa..... ... ••••••do....
Spindle hours operated, ail fibers, total. ml 1. of hr..
Average per working day,..........,.., ......do.,..
Consuming 100 percent cotton
6S .,, ...... do....
35,480
12,628
34,464
11,083
55,953
57,917
r34,909
r17,083
r832,606
30,421
11,398
6,634
49,790
53,140
r27,652
9,377
5,369
51,089
13,298
35,383
10,908
6,473
49,I 10
13,363
31,189
16,73!
833,201
12,178
11,269
849,082
20,386
14,269
844,208
34, 134
21,817
835,948
12,863
9,216
717,991
r10,155
r9,0!2
13,538
8,978
719,656
9,930
8,761
7,191
5,470
736,573
6,052
4,885
7,847
7,469
734,041
7,871
6,792
10,971
11,120
729,660
13,497
S2,0S9
3,058
947
2,674
734
2,686
580
2,721
3,554
1,081
2,689
794
3,251
4,099
2,499
3,511
3,483
1,948
802
1,085
266
734
2,676
1,797
513
1,273
247
1,403
361
736,860
r74l,555
686,275
822,180
732,319
880,549
20,881
19,302
10,295
515
9,512
20,902
19,352
10,150
508
9,393
20,465
18,912
9,544
477
8,849
20,308
18,780
11,436
457
10,678
20,343
18,839
9,847
492
9,162
20,289
18,786
11,952
598
11,145
4,233
2,856
2,455
1,377
3 ,845
2 ,749
2 ,331
J,083
5,525
2,944
2,783
2,581
3,458
1,835
1,821
1,623
,666
,728
,728
,938
6,740
4,367
4,322
2,373
433
424
206
204
399
390
38
38
681
672
48
43
715
700
46
42
706
684
26
25
791
679
5
5
1,770
677
TRANSPORTAT i ON EQUIPMENT
Railway equipment, American Railway Car Institute:
Freight cars:
Shipments, totaI,
number..
Equipment manufacturers, tota I,.... ..
do....
Domestic.
do....
Railroad shops, domestic,
.do....
Passenger cars, equipment manufacturers:
Orders unfilled, end of month, total
do....
Domest ic.,,.,
do....
Shipments, total.,..
do,...
Domestic.
••••••i.................. do....
r/ Revised.
±/ Data for September 1956 cover 5 weeks; other months, 4 weeKs,
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