BOARD OF GOVERNORS OF THE FEDERAL RESERVE SYS T E M S E P 1 6 1 9 5 5

For ismediate release, Thursday, September 15

0.12.3

IN RECORDS SECTION

September 15, 1955

BUSINESS INDEXES 1947-49 average. *.100

Seasonally adjusted Unadjusted 1955 1 9 5 4 1955 I??*

pAug. I July 1 June AUK. Mug. 1 July 1 June AUK.

Industrial production .

Total 1 4 0 1 3 9 1 3 9 123 1 4 0 131 139 123 Manufactures

141 Total 142 1 4 1 1 4 1 125 141 1 3 2 141 125 Durable 1 5 8 155 155 135 1 5 4 146 155 132 Nondurable 126 1 2 6 1 2 7 114 1 2 9 118 126 117

Minerals 1 2 0 1 2 0 1 2 2 1 0 9 123 119 121 111 Consumer durable goods

144 Total 1 5 2 153 1 4 7 115 139 137 144 113 Major consumer durables 173 1 7 4 1 6 4 125 153 1 5 2 160 121 Autos 1 9 4 195 LFLO 1 2 1 1 6 6 195 184 123 Household 1 5 7 1 5 7 153 1 3 1 143 115 141 121

Other consumer durables lfl6 1 0 6 1 0 6 9 1 1 0 8 103 106 94 Construction contracts, value Total n.a. 2 5 7 253 2 1 6 281 2 9 4 229 Residential n.a. 2 9 6 2 9 0 2 4 4 sua* 3 0 1 320 243 All other n.a. 2 3 1 2 2 8 2 0 2 a.a. 2 6 8 276 219

Scyloyment and payrolls 113.6

2 0 2

113.8 Beragricultural emp., total 113.6 113.5 113.2 109.8 113.8 113.0 113.2 110.0 Manufacturing prod, workers

105.8 1C0.4 E%loyment, total 106.1 106.4 106.7 9 9 . 4 107.1 105.0 105.8 1C0.4 Durable 113.8 114.4 114.4 1(8.6 113.2 312.7 114.3 103.2 Nondurable 97.1 9 7 . 0 9 7 . 7 94.3 100.0 9 6 . 0 95.8 97.1

Payrolls, total — " 156.0 151.5 152.1 134.8

Freight carlcadings 9 6 95 9^ 8 4 9 9 9 9 98 86

Department store sales, value ellfl 1 2 4 114 1 1 1 el04 9 8 109 98 Department store stocks,value n.a. P127 1 2 7 1 2 2 . n.a. * 1 1 9 121 U 9

second south, of F. w. Dodge date for 37 Bsstern States, indexes are compiled by the Bureau of labor Statistics.

Employment and payrolls

e—Estimated p—Preliminary n.a.—Hot available

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INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTION

(19k7-k? average » 100)

Seasonally adjusted Unadjusted 1955 195k 1955 19%

PAug* 1 July I June Aug. jPAug. | July 1 June Aug.

DURABLE MANUFACTURES:

Primary metals Ikl 13U 1U3 105 13k 122 llOt 100 total fabricating 169 167 163 II18 16k 158 163 lkk Fabricated metal products 138 135 135 rl23 139 130 135 12L Machinery 162 158 155 lkk 15k lk3 153 138 Nonelectrical Ikl 138 136 125 133 131 137 118 Electrical 202 198 193 181 196 166 I8it 176

Transportation equipment 203 202 19k 166 195 202 200 165 Instruments 155 151 lk9 135 152 lk7 lk9 132

Clay, glass and lumber prod. iko 137 lk3 Ilk lkk 133 lk6 118 Stone, clay and glass prod. 150 151 153 132 153 lk8 155 13k Lumber and products 130 125 133 97 136 118 137 102

Furniture and miscellaneous 136 13U 13k 123 13k 125 130 121 Furniture and fixtures 12k 122 121 rl08 122 113 ll6 107 Miscellaneous manufactures lk5 1U3 31*3 133 lk2 133 139 130

NONDURABLE MANUFACTURES:

Textiles and apparel 107 110 110 99 112 93 107 103 Textile mill products n. a. 107 106 9k n.a. 92 106 97 Apparel and allied products n. a. 113 115 103 n.a. 95 109 110

Rubber and leather products 117 121 127 97 118 106 126 98 Rubber products n. a. 137 149 98 fl«8» 121 151 9k Leather and products n. a. 107 107 96 n.a. 93 105 101

Paper and printing 137 138 138 126 135 128 137 12k Paper and allied products n.a. 156 156 135 n.a. Ikl 156 137 Printing and publishing 126 127 127 121 121 119 126 116

Chemicals and petroleum prod. 160 160 160 Ikl 157 152 157 139 Chemicals and allied prod. n.a. 170 169 lk9 n. a. 158 16k lkk Petroleum and coal products 135 135 136 121 138 135 136 12k

Food, beverages and tobacco 109 108 110 105 122 112 112 Ilk Food and beverage mfrs. n. a. 108 110 105 n. a. 112 112 115 Tobacco manufactures n.a. n.a. 109 99 n.a. n.a. 116 111

MINERALS:

Mineral fuels 120 122 122 110 120 118 118 110 Coal 83 87 86 68 83 77 7k 63 Crude oil and natural gas 138 138 139 130 138 133 139 13C

Metal, stone and earth min. 118 113 123 102 13k 125 138 115

p—Preliminary

r—Revised

n.a.—Not available

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INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTION (19k7-k9 average - 100)

Without seasonal adjustment .... 1955 | m

July | June I May ) July I June

Primary metals Ferrous metals Pig iron Steel Carbon steel Alloy steel

Castings and forgings Nonferrous metals

Fabricated metal products Structural metal parts Stampings and misc. netal products

Nonelectrical machinery Farm machinery Industrial and commercial machinery Machine tools and presses

Electrical machinery Electrical apparatus and parts

Transportation equipment Autos *• Trucks Aircraft and parts Railroad cars

Stone, clay and glass products Glass and pottery products Cement

Lumber and products Lumber Millirork and plywood ' • *

Textile mill products Cotton and synthetic fabrics Cotton consumption Synthetic fabrics

Wool textiles Knit goods

Apparel and allied products Men's outerwear J Women's outerwear Misc. apparel, etc.

125 lkl lk 3 91 io5 129 137 138 9k 99 133 11*7 151 96 109 130 mil lk8 96 111 Hi? 169 169 93 102 108 129. . 128 80 97 111 15k lkk 103 122

132 136 136 123 126 125 128 131 106 Ilk

92 95 95 79 8k 13k 136 13k 122 127 161 161 157 152 157

170 176 175 l5i 156

195 18b 205 125 lk3 126 13k 132 78 96 k71 k66 k69 W k72 22 29 39 17 25

121 136 131 107 115 n. a. 163 159 150 138

108 122 116 91 106 160 207 195 93 155

96 n o 116 85 96 8k 100 10U 80 92 133 135 lk6 105 110 73 85 83 68 70 98 113 108 89 106

8k 107 119 80 95 98 Ilk 116 96 10a 102 106 103 97 98

n. a. —Hot available

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4.

INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTION (1947-49 average - 100)

Without seasonal adjustment 1955 1954

July 1 June 1 May July 1 June

Rubber products 146 84 Tires and tubes 127 146 135 84 119

Leather and products 89 Leather n.a. 95 93 71 89

Paper and allied products 156 Wood pulp 156 175 171 133 153

Paper and board 130 145 143 109 129 Paperboard 133 158 151 112 136

Printing and publishing ; Newsprint consumption 112 131 135 102 119 Job printing and periodicals 123 123 122 119 120

Chemicals and allied products Industrial chemicals 177 185 182 145 152 Synthetic fibers 177 184 178 148 157

Paints 130 131 125 117 117 Petroleum and coal products Petroleum refining 141 140 135 130 131 Gasoline 154 152 146 141 141 Fuel oil 130 133 128 122 122

Coke 101 103 105 77 79 Food and beverage manufactures Food manufactures 106 108 102 107 106 Meat products 104 114 114 102 108 Dairy products 132 145 140 128 145 Canned and frozen foods 142 110 87 138 99 Grain mill products n o 110 104 112 114 Bakery products 100 100 97 99 98

Beverages n.a. 127 113 118 124 Alcoholic beverages n.a. 117 107 103 114 Beer and ale n.a. 126 120 122 128

Coal Bituminous coal 82 78 83 59 65

Crude oil and natural gas Crude oil 127 127 128 120 125

Metal mining 114 142 131 108 120 Iron ore n.a. 179 152 139 152

Stone and earth minerals 135 134 133 130 127

Note.—Groups and subgroups include individual series not published separately.

n.a.—Hot available

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OUTPUT OF CONSUMER DURABLE GOODS

(191*7-1*9 average • 100)

Seasonally adjusted Unadjusted 1955 19>l* 1955 I19R

July | June 1 May July July | I June ! May [Ju>

MAJOR HOUSEHOLD GOODS:

Furniture and floor coverings 118 117 113 102 105 113 109 89 f'urni ture 122 122 113 10k 115 113 111* 98 Floor coverings 1/

Appliances *>nd he iters 151 150 11*6 111* 115 152 1U5 83 IXior appliances 161 156 153 118 120 160 156 83 Ranges 119 122 105 83 76 117 100 53 Rjfrirerstion appliances 173 178 169 132 lidi 191 183 109 Laundry appliances 198 163 188 136 131 168 181 90

Heating apparatus n.a. 132 125 101 n.a. 128 113 86 Radio and television sets 290 269 222 21*1 U*3 192 189 116 Radio sets 76 66 68 U7 1*9 65 75 29 Television sets 698 658 516 611 321 U3U U08 28i

OTHER CONSUMER DURABLE GOODS r

Auto parts and tires 103 lot* 101 89 10k 107 101 91 Misc. home *>nd personal goods 109 108 10U 96 101 105 102 89

1/ Publication suspended pending revision of data back to 1952.

OUTPUT OP MAJOR HOUSEHOLD GOODS

(19l*7-U9 average • 100)

Without seasonal adjustment 1955 199*

July | June I May July June

Woven carpets U5 81 71 | ! 36 66 C-as ran »es 59 93 86 L7 70 Electric ranges 107 159 125 61* 86 Refrigerators 82 121 117 66 78 Freezers 155 179 151* 125 188 Y«£.shing machines 113 11*6 163 81 112 Drisrs and ironers 292 36b, 336 169 158 Vacuim cleaners 77 86 92 69 69 Furnaces 97 126 101 82 93 Water heaters n.a« 131 11*7 98 13k Auto radios 11*3 166 200 68 96 Household radios 23 37 1*1 18 30 Table model TV 319 l*6l 51*6 299 1*23 Console model TV 323 1*10 283 265 369

Note.-pp. U33-ii52, reprint available on request. Back figures, not in Bulletin, on individual indexes for major household goods, without seasonal adjust-ment, also available on request to Division of Research and Statistics.

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