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SURVEY OF CURRENT BUSINESS WEEKLY SUPPLEMENT UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE BUREAU OF FOREIGN AND DOMESTIC COMMERCE WASHINGTON, D. C , NOVEMBER 20, 1941 SUMMARY OF BUSINESS TRENDS Business activity has edged upward despite the reaching of capacity limits in important industries, the increasing stringency of material supplies, and the strain of shifting to defense production. The Federal Keserve Board's adjusted index of industrial production rose from 161—the revised September figure—to 164 (preliminary) in October, while on an unadjusted basis, the index moved from 167 to 169. The 3-point upsurge in the adjusted index came after 3 months in which the average monthly rise was less than 1 point. The rise resulted from increases in the adjusted indexes of both durables and nondurables. Further substantial advances were made in the output of machinery, aircraft, ships, and other items closely geared to the defense program. As automobile changeovers had been completed, production in this industry was higher than in September, though under limitation by order of the Office of Production Management. Production of nondurables remained unchanged on an unadjusted basis. However, the absence of the usual seasonal decline sent the adjusted index up 3 points. The latest weekly data show petroleum output and electric power production continuing at record volume. The most recent week's production of bituminous coal was again close to 11 million net tons after the drop in tht-p million. Current production of automobiles has been stable for several weeks at a weekly output of about 93,000 units. Scarcity of scrap and pig iron has contributed to a slight decline in steel operations which are now about 96 percent of capacity. Estimates of total retail trade show that October activity was only slightly behind the rate of the previous month. Although department store sales declined, purchases from other important dealers—particularly those influenced by farm income—increased. Sales of general merchandise in small towns and rural areas were larger in October than in any month on record except December 1940. The further advance in business is reflected in banking activity. Business loans, as reported by member banks, have continued to grow and in October were up $107 million. Since June 1940, the volume of these loans has expanded $2.1 billion or almost 50 percent. Member banks' excess reserves, which had been reduced about $2 billion from January through October, dropped another $1.2 billion following the increase in reserve requirements effective November 1. However, excess reserves are still over $3.5 billion, larger than at any period before the beginning of 1939. SELECTED BUSINESS INDICATORS 5.0 STEEL INGOT PRODUCTION ELECTRIC POWER PRODUCTION FREIGHT- CARLOADINGS CPERCENT OF CAPACITY) (BILLIONS OF KILOWATT HOURS) (THOUSANDS OF CARS) AUTOMOBILE PRODUCTION BITUMINOUS COAL PRODUCTION (THOUSANDS OF VEHICLESJ (DAILY AVERAGE-THOUSANDS OF TONS) CRUDE OIL RUNS-TO-STILLS COMMERCIAL LOANS (MILLIONS OF BARRELS-DAILY AVERAGE) (BILLIONS OF DOLLARS) MISCELLANEOUS CAR LOADINGS (THOUSANDS OF CARS) F.H.A. HOME MORTGAGES (NUMBER SELECTED FOR APPRAISAL ON HOMES TO BE BUILT) 4.5 1941 ^. 4.0 3.5 1939' 3.0 1 2.5 , . 1 . , 1 , COTTON CONSUMPTION CDAILY AVERAGE- THOUSANDS OF BALES) WEEKLY WHOLESALE PRICE INDEX, ALL COMMODITIES 100 95 90 35 80 (1926- 100) 45 40 / 35 y •v. 30 25 75 70 MONTHLY DAU 1,.... 1938 420358—41 i, 1939 , i t t 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1940 1 . , i . . i. , i , . 1941 20 15 ,, i , , i , . 1.938 i,. . . i , , 11,, i , , 1939 ., i , , i , , 1940 i,, , , i , , 1, . i , , 1941 WEEKLY BUSINESS INDICATORS' [Weekly average, 1923-25=100, except as indicated] 1941 1941 1939 1940 Nov. Nov. Nov. Oct. Oct.Nov. Nov. Nov. Nov. 18 11 15 8 I 25 18 16 Business activity:! 128.2 127.6 126.9 126.2 114.5 116.2 113. 7 New York Times§ 140.4 139.5 139.5 139.5 120.5 119.5 114.6 Barron's 159.9 159.9 159.4 159.2 140.8 140.1 124.1 Business WeekACommodity prices, wholesale: Dept. of Labor: 91.7 91.6 91.2 91.7 79.3 78.8 79.1 Combined index, 1926=100. 89.6 89.5 88.1 89.8 68.4 67.2 67.3 Farm products 88.8 88.2 87.5 88.4 72.6 71.7 72.3 Food 93.0 93.1 84.1 83.9 84.4 93.1 Allother 153.7 154.0 153.2 152.2 149.6 117.5 115.3 120.2 28 basic commodities© Fisher's index, 1926*= 100: Combined index 98.3 97.7 98.3 84.5 83.7 98.8 Copper, electrolytic* 85.5 85.5 85.5 85.5 85.5 85.5 85.5 89.1 63.2 63.2 62.9 62.5 37.9 37.1 37.1 Cotton, middling, spot 85.1 Construction contracts.._ 93.9 137.3 98.4 Distribution: 95.9 96.9 78.2 81.7 80.5 Carloadings 91.7 Department store sales* 139 138 130 131 115 114. 8 122. Employment, Detroit, factory.. 116.1 97.8 Finance: Bond yieldsj_ 56/ 56.5 56.7 56.8 56.8 58.9 59.4 64.1 113.1 115.4 123.5 79.3 67.8 72.4 84.4 120.5 83.9 89.1 82.0 116 64.3 1940 1939 Nov. Nov. Nov. Oct. Oct. Nov. Nov. Nov. Nov. 9 18 11 15 8 1 25 18 16 Finance—Continued. Stock pricest— _ Banking: Debits, outside N. Y. C.J Federal Reserve reporting member banks: Loans, total Interest rates: Call loansj Time loansj Currency in circulation? Production: Automobiles Bituminous coalt... Cotton manufacturingf Electric powertf1.. Lumber ._ Petroleum t Steel ingots® Receipts, primary markets: Cotton Wheat 19.5 89.1 100.6 100.9 112.4 111.5 85.6 87.5 130.2 137.0 124.4 151.5 124.4 114.6 114.9 113.8 88.5 89.7 90.0 72.7 72.1 68.4 8.2 24.2 24.2 24.2 24.2 24.2 24.2 24.2 24.2 28.6 28.6 28.6 28.6 28.6 28.6 28.6 28.6 28.6 214.7 212.8 211.8 211.7 172.9 172.7 152.3 152.5 118.3 119.0 118. l'llO. 8*108.9 156.6 157.0 110.3 109.6 107.0 103.3 106.8 107.2 104.1 95.8 99.4 107.8 153.8 154.2 159.4 134. 7 131.0 131.0 156.1 156.8 154.9 153. 7 135. 9 134. 2 121. 5 121. 5 56.0 61. li 67.81 64.6 52.2 50.61 54.4 53.3 203.1 201.9 203.3 203.9 177.4 177.7 178.1 188. 3 174.0 176.9,179.9.176.1|177.2 164.8 164.6 160.6 158.9 113.5 118.1 ISO. 4178.5 172.7 169.2 160.4 179.6 185.8 55. lj 53.4J 67.9j 82.3J 88. l| 22.0, 31.2, 42.8, 31.4 • Data do not cover calendar weeks in all cases. ^Seasonally adjusted. tDaily average. & Weekly average- 1935-39=100. § Computed normal= 100. Index revised beginning Jan. 8, 1938; revised data not given in the issue of Jan. 23,1941, and subsequent issues will be shown later. ARevised beginning Jan, 4, 1941. fRevised seasonally adjusted index on 1935-39 base compiled by the N. Y. Cotton Exchange. ©Thursday prices, August 1939=100. ® Index for week ended Nov. 22, is 174.7. Data for 1941 are based on production of steel ingots and steel for castings. •Weekly average, 1935-3E=1CO. The index is compiled by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System; it is not adjusted for seasonal variations. WEEKLY BUSINESS STATISTICS* 1941 ITEM Nov. 15 COMMODITY PRICES, WHOLESALE Copper, electrolytic, New York* dol. per lb._ Cotton, middling, spot, New York do Food index (Dun & Bradstreet) do Iron and steel, composite dol. per t o n , . Wheat, No. 2, Hard Winter (Kansas City).dol. per bu._ FINANCE Banking: Debits, New York C i t y . - - . ..mil. ofdoL. Debits, outside New York City (140 cities) do—Federal Reserve banks* Federal Reserve bank credit, total do U. S. Government securities do__-. Member bank reserve balances do Excess reserves, estimated do Federal Reserve reporting member banks: Deposits, demand, adjusted do Deposits, time do Investments, total § do U . S. Government direct obligations do Obligations fully guaranteed b y U . S. Government___ mil. of doL Loans, total § do... Commerc'l, indust'l, and agricult'l loans §..do Interest rates, call loans t percent.. Interest rates, time loans % do Exchange rates: Pound sterling t— dollars.. Failures, commercial number.. Currency in circulation J._ mil. of dol. Security markets: . Bond sales (N. Y. S. E.) thous. of dol. par v a l u e Bond yields (Moody's) (120 bonds) t percent.Stock sales (N. V. S. E.) thous. of shares.. Stock prices (N. Y. Times) t -dol. per share.. Stock prices (Stand, and Poofs) (402)V1&35-39=100.-. Industrials (354) ....do. Public utilities (28) do. Railroads (20) do. PRODUCTION, CONSTRUCTION, AND DISTRIBUTION Production: Automobiles (Ward's) number.. Bituminous coalj thous. of short tons.Electric power A mil. of kw.-hr.. Petroleum^ _ . . t h o u s . of b b L Steel ingots® pet. of capacity.Construction contract a w a r d s j . thous. of dol.Distribution: Freight carloadings, total cars.. Coal and coke.. do Forest products. _ do Grains and grain products do Livestock do Merchandise, 1. c. 1 _ do Ore .do Miscellaneous .._ ..do Receipts: Cattle and calvesf. thousands.. Hogst ...do Cotton into sight thous. of bales-Wheat, at primary markets thous. of b u . . Nov. 8 Nov. 1 1940 Oct. 25 Oct. 18 Nov. 16 1939 Nov. 9 1938 Nov. 18 Nov. 11 Nov. 19 Nov. 12 0.118 .172 3.31 38.15 1.13 0.118 .172 3.28 38.15 1.13 0.118 .171 3.28 38.15 1.12 0.118 .172 3.26 38.15 1.13 0.118 .170 3.29 38.15 1.10 0.118 .103 2.43 38.07 .86 0.118 .101 2.39 38.06 .82 0.123 .101 2.42 37.44 0.123 .100 2.43 37.53 .87 0.110 .093 2.39 36.35 .64 0.110 .092 2.40 36.29 .64 3,224 5,029 4,399 6,355 4,330 5,769 4,758 7,024 3,865 5,763 3,305 4,428 3,802 4,632 3,004 4,399 2,739 4,106 2,918 4,114 2,565 3,522 2,263 2,184 12,707 3,540 2,250' 2,184 12,632 4,602 2,291 2,184 12,749 4,655 2,313 2,184 13,321 5,234 2,326 2,254 14,052 6,795 2,362 2,327 13,979 6,732 2,715 2,649 11, 587 5,166 2,721 2,687 11,749 5,354 2,590 2,564 8,727 3,262 2,569 2,564 8,546 3,132 24,151 5,450 18,294 11,703 2,247 2,184 12,594 3,409 23,876 5,452 18,285 11,683 24,258 5,440 18,379 11,318 24,382 5,439 18,406 11,310 24,640 5,436 18,141 11,043 21,818 5,383 15,785 9,476 21,592 5,383 15,721 9,410 18,604 5,256 14,465 8,725 18,660 5,250 14,314 8,720 15,720 5,137 13,012 8,140 15,711 5,137 13,037 8,141 2,929 11,317 6,633 1.00 1.25 * 4.034 203 10,467 2,923 11,238 6,573 1.00 1.25 ° 4.034 196 10,424 11,203 6,554 1.00 1.25 • 4.033 187 10,335 3.343 11.212 6,556 1.00 1.25 • 4.033 178 10,285 3,334 11,244 6,568 1.00 1.25 o 4.033 178 10,280 2,704 9,086 4,895 1.00 1.25 • 4.037 203 8,397 2,698 9,008 4,827 1.00 1.25 " 4.036 256 8,385 2,402 8,549 4,362 1.00 1.25 3.922 308 7,398 2,250 8,521 4,330 1.00 1.25 3.882 269 7,404 1,678 8.323 3,894 1.00 1.25 4.705 1,679 8,327 3,897 1.00 1.25 4.748 6,738 6,757 28,940 3.27 3,670 83.15 76.5 77.8 73.6 66.7 38,140 3.26 3,181 85.02 79.3 80.4 76.4 71.7 36,500 3.27 3,023 85.56 79.0 80.1 76.7 69.3 46,190 3.28 3,197 86.93 79.5 80.6 77.6 69.5 29,460 3.28 2,726 86.57 79.6 80.6 78.4 70.1 37,970 3.40 5,438 97.72 89.4 89.5 93.7 76.9 38,940 3.43 7,388 98.00 85.9 85.4 93.0 72.7 39,760 3.70 3,934 109.17 98.7 99.3 101.6 83.3 27,980 3.71 4,624 108.29 99.7 100.5 102.1 38,020 3.94 7,760 105.86 98.8 101.5 93.3 78.8 36,030 3.96 8,043 109.25 103.7 106.5 97.2 84.4 92,990 93,585 1,822 3,326 4,096 98.2 92,879 1,759 3,339 4,071 99.9 91,855 1,818 3,299 4,099 97.8 15,082 85,600 1,825 3,273 4,111 98.4 22,045 123,143 1,773 2,890 3,577 96.1 15,804 123,448 1,632 2,858 3,584 96.0 86,700 1,692 2,587 3,592 93.5 13,669 86,200 1,835 2,589 3,797 92.5 96,735 1,430 2,325 3,256 62.6 11,541 86,094 1,482 2,277 3,243 61.0 11,747 873,585 l?8,005 42,455 35,532 18,766 158,966 56,945 382,916 894,739 175,051 44,472 35,852 19,821 158,921 59,378 401,244 913,605 178,360 45,917 35,083 20,378 159,828 68,455 405,584 922,884 180,655 46,317 37,564 22,805 159, 285 68,808 407,450 745,295 160.300 35,814 29,999 17,973 150,273 37,842 313,094 778,318 146,900 38,799 33,815 16,576 156,337 55,667 330,224 766,987 159,043 35.612 15,904 158,028 45,635 315,868 781,588 162,699 35,823 37,697 17,650 156,816 55,876 315,027 657,066 140,273 28,556 36,117 18,057 153,991 12,849 267,223 636,446 134,159 26.843 32,003 18,061 152,202 16,780 256,398 309 356 307 4,245 284 297 469 5,400 286 264 464 6,547 316 316 449 7,012 238 430 440 1,751 214 341 417 2,478 467 3,406 483 2,495 257 5,394 349 3,616 295 4,385 t4D average. *- jDj aa it aa udo cover calendar in HJJ all cases. • Free 1. Revised Earlier weekly data will be shown in a subsequent issue. J jaaiul y ^ m ciaKu. o Jnot JUI u uvtr c a i c u u a r weeks wet'Jts m .... . . . rate. .. _ series. ._. Supplement, §Data for 1938 not strictly comparable with data for later• years; see note on corresponding data shown on p . 51 of the 1910 Supplement. th July are based on estimated' capacity of steel ingots and steel for © R a t e for week ended Nov. 22 is 97.0; data beginning witl ~ ' 1941 " • as of June 30 " t 1941, " " of 86,148,700 tons ' castings produced by any process. fReceipts at Buffalo and Cincinnati are now included and receipts at Oklahoma City and Wichita, formerly included, are omitted. AData revised beginning in the June 19, 1941, issue to include certain additional governmental and industrial power generation not previously reported. MONTHLY BUSINESS STATISTICS Earlier data are available in monthly issues of the Survey and the 1940 Supplement 1941 1940 October October 1941 August September 91.9 78.3 90.7 90.0 89.2 101.2 85.5 73.1 77.4 85.9 87.4 98.1 10(5.2 '93.6 102.1 96.5 105.7 108.5 101.6 r97.7 89.3 92.1 95.3 86. i Engineering construction: Contract awards (E. N. R.)§ thous. of dol__ 406,332 Highway construction: Concrete pavement contract awards: Totalf ...thous. sq. yd.. 6,975 ^2,885 Airports* _ _...do. 2,460 Roads do. 1,630 Streets and alleys do. Construction cost indexes: 202 Assoc. General Contractors 1913=100.. Engineering News Record (all types) do 266.1 DOMESTIC r 02,842 922 3,673 2,287 191 247.2 TRADE Retail trade: Chain-store sales, indexes: Chain-Store Age, combined index (20 chains) Av. same m o n t h 1929-31 = 100.. Apparel chains do Variety-store sales, combined sales, 7 chains:f Unadjusted. 1935-39=100. Adjusted do... 1941 1940 October October 1941 August 146.0 153.0 120.0 132.0 122.4 124.4 108.0 109.7 FINANCE Banking: Installment loans to consumers:* By credit unions: Loans made . mil. of dol._ 24.7 Amount outstanding, end of month-do 217.5 By industrial banking companies: Loans made do 42.9 Amount outstanding, end of month. _do 303.6 By personal finance companies: Loans made do... 76.1 Amount outstanding, end of month--do... 526.3 Savings deposits, savings banks in N. Y. State: Amount due depositors. „ mil. of dol. 5,554 Life insurance written: © Policies and certifs., total number..thousands._ 820 Group do. 42 Industrial.. ___ .do 499 Ordinary. _ _ do 279 Value, total _ _..thous. of dol_. 730,327 Group. , _ __ __do 74, 794 Industrial.. _ do 148,388 Ordinary ....do 507, 145 Security markets: Bonds: Prices: Average price of alllisted bonds (N. Y. S. E.) dollars.. 95.25 98.72 Domestic _. __do 50.76 —foreign d Value. issues listed on N. Y. S. E.: Face value, all issues _ mil. of dol.. 57,856 53,673 Domestic issues.. _.do 4,183 Foreign issues ....do 55,107 Market value, all issues. do 52,984 Domestic issues... _ do 2,123 Foreign issues.-. ,. do Stocks: Cash dividend payments a n d r a t e s (Moody's): Total annual payments at current rates (600 companies) .—mil. of dol.. 1,840.31 Number of shares, adjusted millions.. 938.08 Dividend rate per share (weighted average) (600 cos.) dollars.. 1.96 Banks (21 cos.) do 2.99 Industrials (492 cos.) do 1.97 Insurance (21 cos.).. do, 2.62 1.86 Public utilities (30 cos.) .do Rails (36 cos.) _ .do 1.58 Shares listed, N . Y . S . E . : M a r k e t value, all listed shares..mi]. of dol— 39,057 N u m b e r of shares listed .millions.. 1,465 Yields: Common stocks (200), M o o d y ' s . . . p e r c e n t . . 6.3 Banks (15 stocks) do 5.0 Industrials (125 stocks) do 6.4 Insurance (10 stocks) _ __do 4.1 Public utilities (25 stocks) do 6.6 Rails (25stocks) .do.... 6.5 Stocks, cold storage, end of month: 90.8 89.4 Butter, creamery thous. of lb._ 76.9 74.5 Cheese, total _do. 89.4 87.3 Eggs: 89.4 Shell thous. of cases.. 88.6 88.9 Frozen thous. of lb.. Fish, total (15th of month)... do--_. Total meats mil. oflb.. Beef and veal thous. oflb.. 105.2 102.6 Lamb and mutton _do. Pork, total do101.2 100.0 Fresh and cured ...do 95.5 93.3 Lard __ do. 104.1 100.4 Poultry do106.9 104.9 Livestock: 97.1 Cattle and calves: Receipts, principal mkts.thous. of animals.. Disposition: Local slaughter do Shipments, total ..do 529,561 514,251 Stocker and feeder do-—~ Hogs: Receipts, principal markets do 9,567 6,072 Disposition: ~ " 3,606 l,62r Local slaughter __._._ do. 2,635 2,910 1,814 Shipments, total.. do 2,051 Stocker and feeder ...do Sheep and lambs: 198 200 Receipts, principal markets do 263.1 264.5 Disposition: Local slaughterdo Shipments, total .do Stocker and feeder .do— Tropical products: Coffee, visible supply, U. S. thous. of bags.. 147.0 151.0 Raw sugar: 164.0 184.0 United States: Meltings, 8 ports long tons.. 113.1 ' 120.4 Receipts: From Hawaii and Puerto Rico ' 125.3 128.9 long tons. . Stocks at refineries, end of month—do .86,283 .88,916 :05,106 200F 228 144,463 184,940 6,131 3,857 4,144 53,622 .11,815 .94,006 07,255 94,006 90,885 916 649 632 90,336 48,245 67,489 4,109 191,212 113,962 77,250 .28,071 202,957 188,337 3,211 3,817 526,878 773,182 303,712 485,108 223,166 288,074 114,257 85,363 * 5,441 178,438 102,163 '730 ' 73,366 T 3,306 589,322 371,362 217,960 ' 96,701 2,454 2,427 1,728 2,200 1,209 1,196 1,110 1,324 1,032 680 328 1,198 956 514 2,542 3,113 1,895 Jl 0 0 4 1,905 616 41 2,371 730 42 1,361 529 43 1,488 504 37 2,833 2,737 2,023 2,465 1,018 1,820 523 1,085 1,669 890 922 1,104 377 1,004 1,406 1,580 997 1,879 1,780 404,252 303,215 417,387 459,297 127,822 136,027 355; 071 315,501 506,133 126,173 398,901 414 968 2,796 1,522 447 1,004 2,920 1,567 592 LEATHER AND PRODUCTS 26,5 185.0 29.6 222.4 23.7 220.3 44.4 283.1 46.1 309.1 38.4 305.1 74.3 484.5 86.2 536.0 68.2 529.9 Hides and skins: Livestock (federally inspected slaughter): Calves. thous. of animals.. Cattle do.... Hogs.,. do.-.. Sheep and lambs ...do— 536 1,119 4,157 1,682 507 968 4,483 1,734 METALS AND MANUFACTURES Pig iron: Furnaces in blast, end of month: Capacity .short tons per day- 156,265 .44,290 155,020 731 798 738 Number 213 214 196 44 62 35 4,791 4,856 Production! __thous. of short tons. 4,446 431 450 506 245 Steel ingots and steel for castings:! 237 256 Production .-thous. of short tons. 7,001 7,243 6,645 648,903 646,769 699, 549 99 Percent of capacity,. 55, 244 73,412 130, 229 146,465 131,329 128,493 Nonferrous metals: Copper: 447, "^ 194 442,028 440,827 Production: Mine or smelter (including custom intake) short tons. 85,546 86,911 84,695 Refinery do—- 86,617 83,076 85,426 Deliveries, refined, total do—- 121,457 103,771 117,486 94.74 92.84 94.86 Domestic —do.-, 121,313 103,771 117,486 98.27 97.03 "144 U u -Exportr -do™•50.79 Stocks, refined, end of month do-— 67,260 164,618 71,930 Tin: 54,329 56,101 56,387 Consumption of primary tin in manufactures 49,966 51,900 52,192 8,830 6,230 long tons. 4,363 4,201 4,195 Deliveries (includes reexports) do. - 8,000 11,820 13,625 50,438 53,217 53,418 Stocks, United States (excluding afloat) 48,481 51t 165 51,287 2,393 do.— 1,127 2,131 1,957 2,052 5,635 5,555 5,555 157,165 216 4,717 6,820 '81,839 ••81,553 121,021 121,021 63,670 12,715 1,767 TEXTILE PRODUCTS 1,738.04 1,822.61 1,828. 35 936.43 938.08 938.08 1.94 3.01 1.93 2.59 1.92 1.56 1.95 3.01 1.94 2.59 1.91 1.58 42, 674 41,472 1,453 1,464 40,984 1,463 5.9 4.6 5.9 3.9 6.4 6.0 5.9 4.6 5.9 3.9 6.5 6.3 1.86 3.01 1.83 2.54 1.96 1.36 5.4 4.3 5.5 4.2 5.7 5.3 Cotton: Consumption bales. 953,600 770,832 874,113 Production: 7,964 9,086 504 Ginnings (running bales)•„ -thous. of bales. Rayon: 37.3 36.7 41.7 Deliveries (consumption), yarn* mill, of lb. '4.2 5.3 6.9 Stocks, yarn, end of mo do... Silk: 2,069 4,160 39,877 Deliveries (consumption) bales. Stocks, end of month: United States (warehouses) .do... 57,508 48,297 53,988 875,682 4,713 37.0 4.9 4,685 63,008 TRANSPORTATION EQUIPMENT Railway equipment: American Railway Car Institute: Shipments: Freight cars, total ..^numberDomestic do... Passenger cars, total do—Domestic do 7,55: 6,626 28 28 3,704 3,586 10 10 ' Revised. • Data for September are the latest available. » Preliminary. . . *New series. See note on corresponding item in the October 1941 Survey. tRevised series. See note on corresponding item in the October 1941 Survey. ©40 companies through 1040 and 39 companies in 1941 having 82 percent of total life insurance outstanding in all United States legal reserve companies. •Total ginnings to end of month indicated. §Data for October 1940 and October 1941 are for 5 weeks; others months, 4 weeks. Sep;ember FOODSTUFFS COMMODITY PRICES Cost of living (Nat.1. Industrial Conference Bd.): Combined indexf 1923=100.. Clothing do_... Foodf .do.... Fuel and light do.,.. Housing do Sundries. ..do Retail piices (Faiiehild's index): Combined index Dec. 31, 1930=100.. Apparel: Infants' _. do Men's. _ do Women's _-do House furnishings. _ do_. _. Piece goods do CONSTRUCTION AND REAL ESTATE Earlier data are available in monthly issues of the Survey and the 1940 Supplement 3,856 32 32 5,168 5,044 38 30 MONTHLY BUSINESS STATISTICS—Continued Earlier data are available in monthly issues of the Survey and the 1940 Supplement 1941 1940 September September 1941 July August Earlier data are available in monthly issues of the Survey and the 1940 Supplement 1941 1940 September September 1941 July EMPLOYMENT AND WAGES FUELS AND BYPRODUCTS-Continued Petroleum and products—Continued. Labor conditions: Refined petroleum pi oducts—Continued. Average weekly hours per worker in factories: 41.0 40.3 38.8 40.9 Gas and fuel oils—Continued. U. S. Dept. of Labor (90 industries)__,hours.. Stocks, end of month: Wages: Residual fuel oil. east of Calif.thous. of bbl. 25.224 25t0l5 21,909 Factory average weekly earnings: 26.54 ' 31.22 '31.63 Gas, oil and distillate fuels, total....do 39,726 37,166 34,337 U. S. Dept. of Labor (90 industries).dollars.. 32.01 Motor fuel: 30.57 ' 35.84 '36.52 36.79 Durable goods __.do. 58,995 52,297 63,093 25.75 Demand, domestic _do 22.20 '25.07 ' 25.38 Nondurable goods do. 60,167 52,313 Production, total do Factory average hourly earnings: .745 .744 266 .758 .671 Benzol ....do U. S. Dept. of Labor (90 industries)...do 263 271 .830 .826 24,039 22,254 23,962 .737 .843 Durable goods do Straight run gasoline.. do .871 .862 30,198 25,090 30,124 .779 Iron and steel, etc., not inch mchy.do Cracked gasoline do .878 5,664 4,706 Blast furnaces, steel works, and rolling Natural gasoline ..do .968 4,854 3,901 5,252 '.965 mills__ dollars.. Natural gasoline blended do .857 .972 3,769 .775 ^ .712 .691 .782 Hardware ^— ..do Stocks, gasoline, end of month: ••.835 •-.826 72,761 75.915 77,429 .735 .843 Struct'1 and ornam'l metal work-do Finished gasoline, total do .669 .664 .634 .683 Tin cans and other tinware do 46,151 49,040 41,092 At refineries do .588 .525 .590 Lumber and allied products _.do .577 5,373 7,038 6,317 Natural gasoline do .602 .546 .612 .601 Furniture do Kerosene: .507 .572 '.573 Lumber, sawmills do 5,624 5,173 4,270 '.560 Consumption, domestic. do .746 .850 .844 Machinery, excl. trans, equip do 5,949 6,062 5,406 .836 Production do .799 .920 .907 Agric'l implements (inch trac's).do .890 11,662 10, 254 10,635 Stocks, refinery, end of month do .757 .857 .853 '.850 Electrical machinery, etc do Lubricants: .812 '.997 Engines, turbines, etc do '.978 1.003 2,638 Consumption, domestic .-do 2,150 3,074 .734 .826 Foundry and machine-shop prod-do '.818 2,6S2 3,563 3,427 .829 Production ...do .766 .850 Machine tools * do 7,415 .841 .870 Stocks, refinery, end of month do 8,596 7,107 .621 .693 Radios and phonographs do .697 '.712 Metals, nonferrous, and products..do .803 .821 LUMBER AND MANUFACTURES ••.777 '. 887 .887 Brass, bronze, and copper prod-_do '.876 .672 .721 Lumber, all types: .736 Stone, clay, and glass products do '.721 .565 .653 '.648 '.645 Brick, tile, and terracotta do National Lumber Mfrs. Assn.:! .750 .815 .782 .782 Glass do Production, totaL. mil. bd. ft,. 2,706 2,484 2,747 .900 .990 372 .988 Transportation equipment do 353 369 Hardwoods do 1.008 .738 .855 2,334 2,131 2,378 .820 Aircraft *.__ ..do. .856 Softwoods do .950 2,784 2,751 2,911 Automobiles._ __do. 1.057 '1.066 1.0S5 Shipments, total do .874 416 Shipbuilding* do. 1.039 '1.013 1.040 399 422 Hardwoods .' do .611 Nondurable goods do .658 2,367 2,352 2,489 .657 .668 Softwoods do .773 .837 Chemical, petroleum, and coal prod, do 6,039 7,146 .845 Stocks, gross, end of month, total do .799 .887 Chemicals do .899 1,188 1,573 1,251 Hardwoods do .722 '.784 '.781 .789 Paints and varnishes do 4,851 5,573 4,988 Softwoods do .983 1.030 1.025 Petroleum refining do Softwoods: 1.083 .682 .729 .728 Rayon and allied products do Southern pine: .746 .603 .661 .658 Food and kindred products do 695 .657 905 1,019 Orders, new! do .641 .674 .672 Baking do 715 .674 952 Orders, unfilled, end of month do 603 .691 .737 .766 Slaughtering and meat packing..do 708 734 739 Production! d o — .558 .609 .615 742 Leather and its manufactures do 891 872 Shipments! do .537 .584 .590 1,422 1,681 1,590 Boots and shoes ..do .601 Stocks, end of month.. do .792 .825 .824 Paper and printing-_ ..do. .830 Western Pine: .654 .727 .725 Paper and pulp ..do. 541 607 .724 629 Orders, new! _ do .780 .845 .861 479 Rubber products do. .859 642 532 Orders, unfilled, end of monthf do .971 1.048 1.062 Rubber tires and inner tubes do 657 1.047 549 Production! do .514 .550 .554 .569 Textiles and their products,-_ do 539 617 Shipments! do .487 .534 .533 .551 Fabrics do Stocks, end of month do.___ 1,796 2,051 1,6S5 .563 .582 .596 .602 Wearing apparel ___do West coast woods: .487 .523 .520 .525 Tobacco manufactures _.do 679 741 Orders, new! _ do 776 699 647 8S3 Orders, unfilled, end of month do FOREIGN TRADE 733 641 692 Production! do Value, by grand divisions and countries: 734 710 715 Shipments! do.... Exports, total, incl. reexports thous. of dol._ 417,139 295,245 358,649 455,257 821 865 831 Stocks, end of month do— Africa _ do_ 29,275 14,094 39.434 58,134 Asia and Oceania—. do. 54,919 48,405 43,627 64,788 METALS AND MANUFACTURES Japan. do. 17,778 3,346 1,662 Europe * do. .62.049 113,523 139,327 143,9S1 Pig iron and iron manufactures: United Kingdom..... . do. Castings, malleable: 143, 229 103,361 ;28,771 129,372 North America, northern do, Orders, new.__ .short tons,_ 64,283 53,079 77,312 89,167 64,626 69,401 100,855 Canada do Production ._ ...do-.._ 69,175 49,804 67,010 87,235 63,252 68,076 98,776 67,532 45,943 68,310 North America, southern do Shipments do 3S, 765 25.673 29,926 46,020 Mexico do. 12,330 7,697 8,337 14,324 Steel, manufactured products: South America do. 36,935 41,493 Barrels and drums, steel, heavy types: 42,963 1,317 Argentina do. 700 9,123 Orders, unfilled, end of month.. .thousands.. 1,492 9,975 6,267 9,568 1,713 1,305 1,558 Brazil do. Production do 11,306 6,753 9,709 10,971 Chile do. _.. 4,152 2,976 3,752 4,915 Shipments — d o — 1,711 1,298 1,549 4S General imports, total ...do 40 54 Stocks, end of month do 262,6S0 194,92S 277,847 282,513 Africa do.,.. 10,835 12,581 13,558 14,446 Furniture, steel: Asia and Oceania do Office furniture: 96,5S9 86,220 118,605 108t 871 Japan. __ do 4,981 Orders, new... .thous. of dol_- 3,778 2,601 573 2,535 11,124 8,835 7,939 1,495 7,733 Europe. ..do Orders, unfilled, end of month do 22,272 15,762 23,548 18,825 4,349 2,392 4,186 United Kingdom... _ ..do Shipments do 11,170 9,263 11,392 12,424 North America, northern ..do Shelving: 50,890 40,569 46,558 5G, 484 639 1,182 Canada do Orders, new... d o — 1,284 49,458 39,197 44, 585 53,935 498 1,932 2,022 Orders, unfilled, end of month do North America, southern. do 33,532 14,722 31,554 32,627 634 1,082 1,027 Shipments.^ do 7,702 3,876 6,945 Mexico do 7,311 South America do 48,561 25,075 43,964 51,259 Nonferrous metals: Brass and bronze (ingots and billets): Argentina do... 14,756 3,648 13,364 13,649 Deliveries short tons.. 16,388 8,706 15,672 9,959 Brazil do... 10,257 7,122 10,307 28,981 31,365 30,891 Orders, unfilled, end of month do 8,790 Chile do... 12,107 5,164 9,462 Electrical equipment: FUELS AND BYPRODUCTS Domestic appliances, sales billed: Petroleum and products: Combined index, excluding refrigerators:* 193.2 122.3' 199.6 Crude petroleum: Unadjusted index .1936=100 Consumption (runs to stills)...thous. of bbl.. .21,481 107,750 21,180 124,572 Adjusted index.. d o . . . . 193.3 130.2 204.5 Production do f i ,20 34,714 64,476 Ranges* units.. .19,446 109,337 18,251 121,354 Refinery operations pet- of capacity. _ Electrical products: 83 89 89 90 147.7 240.8 Stocks, end of month: Industrial materials, sales billed... 1936=100.. 254.5 444.1 California: 254.3 370.9 Motors and generators, new orders do 335.9 360.4 Heavy crude and fuel thous. of bbl.. 63,847 75,392 66,454 64,729 233.9 Trans, and dist. equip., new orders do Light crude do Furnaces, electric, industrial, sales: 34,875 35F4G0 35,651 34,560 East of California, total do 203,481 !20,197 !12,132 207,225 Unit kilowatts _. 22,291 16,965 11,644 1,341 Refineries do 976 41,975 44,778 44.472 43,483 Value thous. of dol_- 1,733 Tank farms and pipe lines ..do .61.506 .75,419 .67,660 163,742 Electrical goods, new orders (quarterly) Wells completed number.. 1,931 thous. of dol.. 629,028 411,595 1,836 1,453 1,931 Refined petroleum products: Motors (1-200 hp.): Gas and fuel oils: 3,703 5,983 6,016 Polyphase induction, billings do. Production: 4,731 6,200 6,560 Polyphase induction, new orders.. do Residual fuel oil __thous. of bbl 28,118 25,504 28.624 29,836 1,212 1,867 Direct current, billings... d o — 1,843 2.674 4.512 3,057 Gas, oil and distillate fuels, total...do.--. 16.024 14.735 15. 746 15.409 Direct current, new orders.. do ' Revised. • Less than $500. !Revised series. See note on corresponding item in the October 1941 Survey. •New series. See note on corresponding item in the October 1941 Survey. U. S . GOVERNMENT PAINTING OFFICE: 1 » 4 1 August 23,562 36,845 62,944 60,740 277 24, 790 30,034 5,639 4,237 73,094 45.463 6,111 4,449 5,850 11,636 2, 562 3,561 7,206 2,882 373 2,509 3,020 412 2,609 6,092 1,211 4,881 692 762 1,456 518 554 679 605 1,754 705 772 813 826 819 68,945 68,570 64..250 1,497 1,590 1,600 37 4,259 8,058 4,139 1,765 1,166 17,180 30,646 158.6 162.9 50,759 243.0 307.0 '288.8 18,312 1,522 5,765 5,825 1,761 3,395
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