R£C'D W RECORDS SECTION

SYSTRAN 1 9 1956

For immediate release, Tuesday, January jfr. 1956

BOARD OF GOVERNORS OF THE FEDERAL RESERVE

G.12.3

BUSINESS INDEXES 1)47-49 average = 100

January 17, 195^

Seasonally ad. uated Unadjusted Anni; tal xes 1955 19^4 1955 1 ! 1254. Inde tal xes

pDec. 1 Nov. Dec. pDec. 1 Nov. 1 Dec. P.1955. .1 1954

Industrial production Total 144 144 130 141 146 128 139 125 Manufactures Total 145 146 131 1&3 148 129 140 127 Durable 160 161 143 159 163 143 lf5 137 Nondurable 130 130 119 126 132 115 126 116

Minerals 127 125 116 125 126 114 122 111 Consumer durable goods Total output 147 151 131 147 159 132 146 116 Major consumer durables 161 167 146 162 178 149 164 125 Autos 187 196 167 193 212 174 190 131 Household 141 1*3 130 137 150 130 1^3 122

Other consumer durables 114 114 96 111 117 94 106 95 Construction contracts, value Total n.a. 270 259 n.a. 244 211 n.a. 216 Residential n.a. 252 277 n.a. 243 237 n.a. 232 All other n.a. 282 248 n.a. 245 194 n.a. 204

Employment and payrolls Ilonagricultural emp., total 114.4 114.7 110.6 117.0 115.8 113-1 112.9 110.4 Manufacturing prod, workers

109.4 105.6 101.8 Employment, total 107.9 108.7 101.7 108.5 109.4 102.2 105.6 101.8 Durable 116.8 117.2 107.5 117.5 117.9 108.2 113.1 107.6 Nondurable 97.5 98.6 94.9 98.0 99.4 95-3 96.8 94.9

Payrolls, total 163.8 164.3 143.1 152.9 137.7

Freight carloadings 101 99 93 93 102 86 95 86

Department store sales,value el21 pl22 116 e209 Pl48 201 ell9 x 111 Department store stocks,value n.a. P132 124 n.a. pl48 110 n.a. 122

Note: Construction contract indexes based on 3-month moving averages, centered at second month, of F. W. Dodge data for 37 Eastern States. Employment and payrolls indexes are compiled by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

e--Estimated p—Preliminary n.a.—Not available

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# 2.

INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTION (1947-49 average = 100)

Seasonally adjusted Unadjusted 1955 3.954 1955 1954

pDec. 1 Nov. I Oct. Dec. pDec. 1 Nov. 1 Oct. Dec.

DURABLE MANUFACTURES:

Primary metals 151 149 148 121 147 149 149 117 Metal fabricating 170 172 173 155 171 174 173 15 6 Fabricated metal products 139 139 142 125 138 139 145 124 Machinery 160 162 164 145 162 164 169 146 Nonelectrical 142 143 143 121 145 l4l 141 123 Electrical 196 198 205 193 194 208 223 191

Transportation equipment 207 212 208 189 207 215 200 191 Instrument8 161 159 156 140 162 160 158 142

Clay, glass and lumber prod. 139 139 141 133 132 140 149 125 Stone, clay and glass prod. 155 157 153 135 154 159 161 134 Lunger and products 124 123 130 131 112 123 138 116

Furniture and miscellaneous 137 136 136 122 141 142 144 125 Furniture and fixtures 123 123 124 108 128 128 123 112 Miscellaneous manufactures 146 145 145 131 149 152 154 134

NONDURABLE MANUFACTURES:

Textiles and apparel 114 115 112 104 108 116 115 98 Textile mill products n.a. 110 109 102 n.a. 112 112 93 Apparel and allied products n.a. 121 116 107 n.a. 121 117 99

Rubber and leather products 124 122 125 115 118 123 130 110 Rubber products n.a. 147 147 133 n.a. 150 155 128 Leather and products n.a. 102 105 100 n.a# 100 109 94

Paper and printing lUl 141 141 127 139 144 147 125 Paper and allied products n.a. 157 158 136 n.a# 158 167 129 Printing and publishing 131 130 131 121 133 135 135 123

Chemicals and petroleum prod. 165 164 162 148 167 168 166 149 Chemicals and allied prod. n.a. 173 171 155 n.a. 178 176 156 Petroleum and coal products 142 139 137 129 142 140 138 129

Food, beverages and tobacco 111 112 111 107 104 114 123 99 Food and beverage mfrs. n.a. 112 111 107 n.a# 115 124 101 Tobacco manufactures n.a. n.a. 100 101 n.a. n.a. 109 83

MINERALS:

Mineral fuels 128 124 123 117 129 126 125 117 Coal 87 80 80 73 91 87 68 15 Crude oil and natural gas 147 144 143 138 147 144 143 138

Metal, stone and earth min. 126 130 126 115 108 125 137 99

p—Preliminary n.a.--Hot available

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3.

INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTION (19k7-k9 average » 100)

Without seasonal ac 1 justment 1955 1951*

Nov. 1 Oct. 1 Sept. Nov. | Oct.

Primary metals Ferrous metals 11*7 11*8 ll*2 111* 107

Fig iron 1U0 lUl lUo 110 101 Steel 156 151* 150 122 112 Carbon steel 15b Ut9 n*i* 119 111 Alloy steel 189 188 186 138 120

Castings and forgings 131 137 125 98 97 ilcnferrous metals 156 153 11*7 129 127

Fabricated metal products Htl* Structural metal parts lblt Htl* litl 129 127

Stampings and misc. metal products 137 13U 129 122 115 Nonelectrical machinery

69 75 Farm machinery 93 92 69 75 73 Industrial and commercial machinery 11*5 ll*2 lltO 122 122 Machine tools and presses 178 170 168 11*6 11*7

Electrical machinery 162 158 Electrical apparatus and parts 180 188 175 162 158

Transportation equipment 153 11*1* Autos 212 153 130 11*1* 70

Trucks 122 106 102 93 78 Aircraft and parts 501 1*90 1*81* 1*71 1*61* Railroad cars 33 38 30 12 18

Stone, clay and glass products U*3 UUb 12lt 125 Glass and pottery products U*3 UUb 137 12lt 125

Cement n. a. 16U 16U i 11*5 152 Lumber and products

106 Lumber 106 122 121 1 107 119 Millmrk and plywood m a . 211 209 191 207

Textile mill products 118 Cotton and synthetic fabrics 118 117 111 110 109

Cotton consumption 109 109 103 10U 101* Synthetic fabrics 136 133 132 126 121

Wool textiles 83 85 80 69 69 Knit goods 115 119 111* 110 113

Apparel and allied products 116 1 108 108 Men1s outerwear 116 117 109 1 108 108

Women's outerwear 12U 113 108 1 102 102 Misc. apparel, etc. 122 122 117 | 110 110

n. a, —Hot available

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INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTION (19U7-U9 average - 100)

Without seasonal adjustment 195$ 195U

Nov. I Oct. i Sept. Nov. | Oct.

Rubber products 116 Tires aid tubes 138 HiO 128 110 116

Leather and products 88 Leather n.a. 97 90 | | 88 88

Paper and allied products i i 158 Wood pulp 177 179 169 i I 160 158

Paper and board 1U7 150 tii3 i 131 133 Pnperboard 161 160 153 137 138

Printing and publishing 1U3 11*2 Rev/sprint consumption 1U3 11*2 132 130 129

Job printing and periodicals 131 131 131 122 122 Chemicals and allied products

165 160 Industrial chemicals 197 192 190 i 165 160 Synthetic fibers 196 188 191 17U 165

Paints 126 127 126 117 115 Petroleum and coal products Petroleum refining 1U8 lU3 till i 136 132 Gasoline 158 157 155 tii3 1U0 Fuel oil • IB 13k 132 135 128

Coke n.a. 108 107 ' ! 90 8U Food and beverage manufactures Food manufactures 118 125 125 113 115 Meat products 150 1U3 129 135 127 Dairy products 83 88 101 78 85 Canned and frozen foods 113 l6l 201 99 till Groin mill products 103 111 108 I I 103 11C Bakery products 99 100 99 93 99

Beverages ' n.a. 118 111 97 110 Alcoholic beverages n.a. 117 102 99 107

Beer and ale n. a. 88 97 79 8U Coal

Bituminous coal 93 93 88 78 81 Crude oil and natural gas Crude oil 132 131 129 122 U S

Metal mining 117 136 llil 79 ?2 Iron ore n.a. 165 181 li3 87

Stone and earth minerals 135 139 till ! ' 126 129

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

n.a.—Mot available

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'• $

OUTPUT OF CONSUMER DURABLE GOODS (19^7-^9 average = 100)

Seasonally adjusted Unadjusted 1955 1954 1955 1954

Nov. 1 Oct. 1 Sept. Nov. Nov. I Oct. |Sept. Nov.

MAJOR HOUSEHOLD GOODS:

Furniture and floor coverings 121 121 123 103 124 127 124 108 Furniture 126 126 127 111 131 131 129 115 Floor coverings l/ — — * * — • - - -

Appliances and heaters 134 137 147 115 132 145 151 116 Major appliances 141 147 153 121 134 144 149 118 Ranges n.a. 95 98 77 n.a. 105 107 83 Refrigeration appliances 146 162 166 126 113 131 143 106 Laundry appliances 200 187 205 174 220 218 219 192

Heating apparatus n.a. 108 126 95 n.a. 148 159 107 Radio and television sets 235 259 279 259 279 315 289 324 Radio sets 103 95 72 70 105 99 68 71 Television sets 486 572 676 620 612 726 710 806

OTHER CONSUMER DURABLE GOODS:

Auto parte and tires 108 108 107 93 108 115 113 93 Misc. heme and personal goods H 9 118 115 101 124 124 116 10)

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

OUTPUT OF MAJOR HOUSEHOLD GOODS (I9U7-U9 average • 100)

. - •*

Without seasonal adjustment 1955 1954

Nov. 1 Oct. i Sept. Nov. 1 Oct.

Woven carpets 78 89 85 62 82 Gas ranges 90 96 97 78 86 Electric ranges n.a. 122 123 92 91 Refrigerators 75 82 86 78 72 Freezers 116 168 192 114 138 Washing machines 170 166 171 155 163 Driers and ironers 661 683 645 517 516 Vacuum cleaners 109 130 109 84 98 Furnaces 131 154 162 107 136 Water heaters n.a. 134 150 110 125 Auto radios 260 231 145 143 119 Household radios 63 63 47 51 49 Table model TV 499 640 663 759 836 Console model TV 714 804 753 849 881

Kcte.--For description and back figures see Federal Reserve Bulletin for May r-51* pp. 438-452, 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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