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BUSINESS
September 28, 1956
STATISTICS
o7
e5s5s^°^
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
S75
INDEX, 1947-49 = 100
175
Monthly
STEEL PRODUCTION (ingots and steel for castings)
^••'^•X
150
125
J
150
H
\
1
100
• ''
i
75
i
i
i
i
1 i
i
i
i
i
i
i
i i
1953
i
1 i
i
i
i i
i
i
i
1954
i
i
1
i
i
i
i
1
i
1 1
I
1955
100
1
22.8
1 1 1 , 1
I
125
•
|
1
J F M A M J J A S 0 N D
1956
INDEX, 1 9 4 7 - 4 9 = 100
250
I N D E X , 1 9 4 7 - 4 9 = 100
250
Weekly
MontMy
ELECTRIC POWER PRODUCTION (by utilities)
(seasonally adjusted)
225
~
—
-\
225
Uw-Ni\yV
y**™*^
200
175
150
-J^TI.,1
i
1 i
i
i
i
i
i
1953
i
i
i
i
i
i
i
i
i
i
i i i i i i i i i i i
1954
i
i
i
i
1955
i
i
i
i
i
i
A
200
-\
175
i
I 1 I I I 1 I I I I i j
1956
J F M A M J
J A S
0ND
BILLION DOLLARS
20
INDEX, 1947-49 = 100
125
CONSUMER PRICES
SALES OF RETAIL STORES
(seasonally adjusted)
120
All Items
115
MO
Food
105 IJ « ' t i I i i i l I i i i i i i I i i i i i I i 11 > i I M M i I i i i i i I i i i i i
1953
1954
1955
1956
0 IIIIM IIIII IIMIM 1 i i i
1953
1954
M
I
II
i i i Ii
1955
II
t i .1 i I i I I I l I I I I
1956
I 50
2
WEEKLY BUSINESS STATISTICS1
1956
1955
ITEMSept. 17
Sept. 24
Sept. 8
Sept. 1
Sept. 15
Sept. 22
Commodity prices, wholesale:
115.1
90.0
104.0
122.6
91.9
90.4
128
1,081
980
114.8
89.2
103.6
122.4
90.5
112
1,160
1,058
115.1
90.2
104.0
122.6
91.2
130
30,401
25,613
18,767
576
30,618
25,404
18,883
499
30,787
25,454
18,800
449
30,910
25,934
19,088
717
56,263
21.640
84,516
30,546
24,570
8,216
55,381
21.974
85,541
26,576
29,168
8,738
54,920
21,946
85,684
26,501
29,355
8,747
55,777
22,046
85,868
26,545
29,554
8,775
237
3.68
348.9
407.6
196
3.71
353.3
413.6
203
3.74
346.4
405.3
171
3.76
339.7
396.5
1,665
11,565
76,938
7,108
2,389
97.0
784
386
1,746
10,955
62,426
7,037
2,429
98.7
680
330
! ,775
11,339
84,426
7,049
2,477
100.6
821
392
. . ......
89.8
125
965
870
*lll.7
*89.3
* 101.5
* 118.5
89.6
121
911
824
30,520
25,577
18,750
608
56,110
21,606
84,735
30,940
24,400
8,188
.««•.«
F i nance:
Federal Reserve bank credit outstanding, total 3/....do....
Excess reserves, estimated 5/
do.,.-.
s
Federal Reserve reporting member banks in leading cities:4/
Commercial., industrial, and agr. loans (gross) ...do....
191
3.31
325.8
374.0
Bond yields, domestic corporate (Moody's) 3/
.percent..
Stock prices, 480 stocks (Stand e & Poor's) 4/..1935-39=100..
Production:
Bituminous coal 3/
1,653
10,623
143,611
6,684
2,309
#95.7
702
337
.....thous. of short tons..
171
3.31
328.0
377.1 |
1,586
10,756
147,195
6,671
2,320
#96.1
817
399
30,810
25,852
19,220
735
55,168
2,477
100.6
U Data do not always cover calendar weeks. 2/ Tuesday prices. _3/ Daily average. 4/ Wednesday data. j>/ Week beginning September 24,
1956: Production, 2,466 thous. short tons; operating rate, 100.2 percent.x^6/ Data for 1956 adjusted to revised classification of class I
railroads. * Monthly index for September 1955. # Not comparable with 1956 rates which are based on higher capacity.
MONTHLY BUSINESS STATISTICS
1956
1955
ITEM
July
August
July
June
May
August
GENERAL BUSINESS INDICATORS
Industrial and commercial failures:
do....
do....
do
do....
do....
861
68
102
179
423
89
888
59
134
158
430
107
l,.J64
94
132
245
575
118
1,105
93
163
183
551
115
1,018
87
141
165
540
85
1,101
95
146
195
567
98
32,543
1,502
6,289
11,865
8,605
4,282
36,028
1,987
9,663
10,102
10,024
4,252
59,901
3,619
8,877
28,450
13,242
5,713
43,013
3,588
8,598
10,684
12,812
7,331
48,689
7,442
7,488
9,005
11,945
12,809
55,040
4,127
7,507
17,828
14,772
10,806
1/116.8
105.5
113.1
109.2
120.7
99.9
COMMODITY PRICES
1947-49=100..
.do....
do....
............do....
!
Other goods and services
..s ,,
Purchasing power of the dollar as measured b y ~
....do....
.......do....
ssssdossss
rfn
1
114.7
103.2
1 12.1
104.7
121.9
103.7
114.5
103.4
II 1.2
105.7 v
1 11.3
102.9
I 15.4
104.8
II 1.0
107.5
121.5
95.5
116.2
104.8
113.2
107.7
131.4
98.0
117.0
105.3
114.8
108.7
135.2
99.3
119.9
1 10.8
103.6
130.4
127.9
120.0
110.8
103.2
130.5
128.0
120.9
III.8
102.6
132.2
131.9
121.4
II 1.7
102.8
132.5
132.0
121.8
II 1.7
102.8
133.2
132.7
122.2
112.1
102.6
133.2
133.3
115.5
106.3
125.4 1
I20 s 3
1 1.5.8
106.3
125.4
120,4
M9.6
108.2
127.1
121.5
H9.9
107.6
126.8
121.8
120.i j
107.7
127.7
122.2 |
i20.3
107.9
128.5
122.1
90.5 '
87.2
89.2
90.2
87.3
89.9
87.4
86.7
90,1
!
|
87.6
86.1
88 s 3 ,1
87.7
85.5
87.1
2/87.3
2/85.6
2/88,4
jr/ Revised. J./ Index based on 1935-39=: 100 is S95.3. 2/ Indexes based on 1935-39=100 are as foiiows: Measured by—wholesale prices,
http://fraser.stlouisfed.org/
45.Ij consumer prices, 51.2} retail food, 43.8.
Federal Reserve
3gbgj{-Bank of St. Louis
MONTHLY BUSINESS STATISTICS — Continued
J
1955
ITEM
July
3
August
1956
May
June
'
July
August
CONSTRUCTION AND REAL ESTATE
Construction contracts awarded, 57 States (F.W.Dodge Corp.):
Bui Iding, total. .....
Highway concrete pavement contract awards: J/
73,150
2,272
1,852
64,144
1,895
1,517
78,801
2,480
1,949
62,249
2,198
1,620
56,715
2,149
1,605
61,271
2,069
1,621
5,787
944
2,257
2,606
9,346
288
5,321
3,737
8,515
1,084
5,875
3,557
7,679
720
4,149
2,810
4,795
408
1,895
2,494
8,598
1,486
5,219
3,693
266.1
262.0
264.5
266.7
262.6
264.9
276.8
272.5
275.4
278.0
273.7
276.1
279.6
275.5
276.7
280.2
275.9
277.2
..do....
..do....
..do....
e .do. eoe
274.0
271.9
262.3
264.5
257.5
274.6
272.4
263.2
264.8
257.8
285.3
282.2
273.8
275.4
266.2
286.6
283.5
274.6
275.9
267.5
287.8
286.7
275.2
276.0
272.8
288.2
287.3
275.9
276.2
273.2
..do....
264.9
259.1
265.6
259.6
276.1
269.9
276.8
270.4
277.2
270.6
277.8
271.0
161,748
58,904
34,125
167,345
58,980
55,865
185,584
69,452
38,766
186,540
70,733
38,937
181,284
65,875
58,655
183,819
67,279
38,206
5,089
2,765
54
1,924
877
254
5,848
4,754
55
4,459
945
590
7,107
5,050
63
5,780
1,014
251
p12,574
pi 1,576
p57
pi 1,256
p966
p294
3,927
3,485
63
2,601
970
292
5,959
4,954
64
4,772
1,030
93
5,582
592
561
5,046
1,585
6,225
522
428
5,583
1,692
5,467
561
432
3,435
1,040
p6,783
p608
p405
p4,3l6
PM55
5,542
627
p368
p2,95l
P1,595
5,902
567
p383
p3,580
pi,571
jposits..
...do....
40.7
26.6
20.4
38.2
25.9
19.9
46.0
28.7
21.7
47.0
28.9
21.6
45.9
p29.7
p22.4
44.4
p27.5
P2I.2
. of lb..
45,987
66,559
1,099
r8,l89
44,647
69,499
912
11,567
44,221
77, 102
1,455
10,165
46,410
74,232
1,731
10,857
44,480
75,797
1,271
11,554
7,017
82,851
82,151
11,277
7,726
86,963
93,912
15,712
7,204
80,050
116,444
12,100
5,598
85,686
1 12,656
11,927
6,756
72,265
86,159
181
17,465
51,582
187
17,465
29,735 |
199
17,814
24,507
194
19,586
22,919
200
19,054
24,965
2,285
6,271
260
515 !
30,288
3,590
7.681
415
552
59,087
5,481
7,458
569
489
41,746
4,055
r7,254
487
407
r40,607
2,555
5,872
544
570
3.1,207
...do....
...do....
35,749
17,110
54,628
51,979
12,505
41,144
22,416
57,022
55,886
10,767
50,480
25,455
65,977
51,968
11,495
44,025
r25,085
r54,796
r29,645
r10,544
41,277
15,901
49,751
25,730
8,729
. of lb..
...do,...
89,755
59,811
25,549
45,754
50,211
55,691
55,057
}8,I86
68,841
31,514
90,995
56,065
...do.... !
49,205
17,510
99,246
65,541
72,685
75,444
..do.....
Construction cost index:
E. H. Boeckh and Associates:
Apartments, hotels, and office buildings?
Brick and concrete.............U. S. avg. 1926-29=100..
Commercial and factory buildings:
Residences:
Brick
FINANCE
of dol..
Federal Government finance:
...do
..do....
..do....
..do....
,..do....
•..do....
Turnover of demand deposits except interbank and
U. S. Governmnet, annual rate:
CHEMICALS AND ALLIED PRODUCTS
Organic chemicals, production:
of gal..
. of lb..
...do....
Formaldehyde (57# HCHO)..
Methano1:
Natural (I00#)
Synthet i c ( I00#)
thous. of gal..
...do....
. of lb..
Synthetic plastics and resin materials, production:
Cellulose acetate and mixed ester plastics:
. of lb..
...do....
...do....
...do....
...do....
1
FOODSTUFFS
Rice, California:
Stocks, rough and cleaned (cleaned basis), end
r/ Revised. _n/Pre!iminarye
J/-Data for August 1955 and May, and August 1956 are for 5 weeks; other months, 4 weeks.
MONTHLY BUSINESS STATISTICS —Continued
4
1956
1955
ITEM
July
FOODSTUFFS - Continued
L i vestock :
Cattle and calves.:
Receipts, principal markets.,.........thous. of animals.
Shipments, feeder, to 9 corn-belt States,,. ...,... ••do...
Hogs:
Receipts, principal markets
...••..•••• .do...
Sheep and lambs:
Receipts, principal markets
...
do...
Shipments, feeder, to 9 corn-belt States...,
do...
LEATHER AND PRODUCTS
Leather production:
Calf and whole kip..
thous, of skins..
Cattle hide and side kip.........thous. of hides and kips,.
Goat and kid
••..•.••••••••.
thous. of skins..
Sheep and lamb........................................do,...
METALS AND MANUFACTURES
Steel forgings (for^ale):
Orders, unfilled, total
„ ...thous. of short tons..
Shipments, total.••••••••••••••.. ••••••••••••.•••••• .do.....
Drop and upset
••••••••••••••••••••••
....do..,.
Tin:
Production, pig, total
.......long tons.,
Imports for consumption:
Ore......
do.,..
Bars, pigs, etc....
.....do.,.„
Consumption, pig, total
••••••••••••«•• .do...,
Primary,
&••*
«-•••••••••••••• do,..,
Exports, incl. reexports (metal)..
•••••••do.,..
Stocks, pig, end of month, total
do,..,
Industry.
............. .....„.«,.,.,.. .do. • •.
Furnaces, industrial, new orders, net:
Electric processing......
.....thous. of dol..
Fuel-fired (except for hot rolling steel)
...do..,.
Machine tools (metal-cutting types):
New orders (net), total
........mil, of doJ.s
Domestic
.»,.....
....do...,
Shipments, tota I
do...,
Domest ic
do....
Est I mated back I og
•
months.
August
July
May
August
1,965
169
2,596
1/264
2,124
196
2,146
201
2,543
226
2,686
580
1,950
2,519
2,749
2,480
2,485
2,499
1,044
147
1,288
1/269
1,054
121
1,047
113
1,184
151
1,403
361
606
1,664
1,828
871
2,210
2,000
2,560
701
2,364
2,544
2,360
644
2,076
2,061
r2,109
496
1,731
1,797
1,777
513.3
115.0
82.7
547.0
I34.B
99.9
551.3
150.6
112.0
539.6
143.4
103.4
546.9
98.5
76,2
1,147
1,986
2,250
1,211
2/207
2,116
r5,474
6,640
4,520
4
16,362
15,580
2,180
5,520
7,985
5,310
91
16,348
15,685
J, 053
4,801
7,615
5,230
20
15,411
14,785
679
4,482
7,415
5,045
97
15,222
15,195
1,182
4,577
4,415
2,455
20
16,787
16,760
.........
786
2,981
1,348
4,101
2,035
1,178
2,555
1,432
1,089
2,726
3,263
2,988
62.20
56.80
45.20
40.25
5.4
62.05
54.35
48.65
44.00
5.6
87.10
79.45
76.80
70.50
8.2
61.85
55.65
76.25
69.55
7.8
r6l.90
r55.25
r65.l5
r60.70
7.8
p87.45
p78.05
p75.IO
p68.95
P 7.7
2,968
1,954
1,284
1,014
5 ,029
3 ,187
i,935
1,842
6,723
.4,549
4,493
2,174
5 ,607
3 ,318
3,261
2 ,289
5,370
3,143
3,117
2,227
5,525
2,944
2,783
2,581
993
977
39
33
952
937
45
42
740
720
53
44
758
737
40
36
729
715
29
22
681
672
48
43
V22
TRANSPORTATION EQUIPMENT
Railway equipment, American Railway Car Institute:
Freight cars:
Sh i pments, tota I
Equipment manufacturers, total
Domestic..
Railroad shops, domestic
.„.
Passenger cars, equipment manufacturers:
Orders unfilled, end of month, total
Domestic...,
,
Shipments, total
Domestic
•
j r / Revised.
j>/ P r e l i m i n a r y ,
number.,
do...,
...do....
do...,
do...,
do...,
do...,
do...,
±/ Revised t o include data for South Dakota.
PENALTY FOR PRIVATE USE TO AVOID
PAYMENT OF POSTAGE, $300
UNITED STATES
GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE
DIVISION OF PUBLIC DOCUMENTS
WASHINGTON 25, D. C.
OFFICIAL B U S I N E S S
FIRST CLASS
WEEKLY SUPPLEMENT
SURVEY OF CURRENT
2/ Production by secondary plants o n l y .
BUSINESS
@FedFRASER