Survey of Current Business May 1924

Tho preceding chnrt. on page II, gives ft comparison
of steel furniture shipments by manufacturers and new
contracts uwunlcd for tho construction of business
buildings in 27 northeastern states. During the first
quarter of 1924 tho value of steel furniture shipments
increased 11 per cent over the same period of 1923
while the value of new awards for business buildings
registered an increase of 20 per cent.
NONFERROUS METALS
The mine production of copper in March ut 128,-
500,000 pounds showed practically no change from the
February output while for the first quarter of the year
the output, totaling 390,170,000 pounds, recorded an
increase over the same period of 102;} amounting to
10 per cent. Copper exports in March increased 11
per cent over February making the outward movement
during the iirst quarter of 1924 total 2r)li,83;*.000
pounds, an increase of 35 per cent over the exports
during the corresponding period of 1023. The wholesale
price of electrolytic copper averaged 7 per cent
higher in March. New orders received for brass
faucets declined in March from both the previous
month and a, year ago while shipments of faucets,
although larger than in February, were considerably
below a year ago. Sales of tubular plumbing goods in
March were larger than in the previous month but
;were considerably below the sales of a year ago,
Corrnn PKODUCTION AND EXPORTS
The output of zinc increased 9 per cent in March
while for the quarter ending with that month tho production
of primary zinc was 3 per cent larger than in
the same period of last year. Stocks of zinc continued
to decline but on March 31 were more than three
times as large as the inventories of a year ago. Receipts
and shipments of zinc at St. Louis increased in March
12
while the wholesale pricA of prime western zi
averaged lower in March.
RELATIVE PRODUCTION AND STOCK OF ZINC
(1913 in on t lily average*-100.)
Tin stocks at New York at the end of March \s ere
considerably below the holdings on either February 29
or at the end of March a year ago. Consumption of
tin as seen from deliveries to consuming plants
declined 4S per cent in March while for the first quarter
of the year tin deliveries were G per cent below the
same period of 1923. Correspondingly the imports
of tin during that period were 6 per cent below imports
in the first three months of 1923. The wholesale price
of pig tin averaged higher in March both as respects
the previous month and a year ago.
The production of lead increased 17 per cent in
March wliilo the receipts and shipments of lead at St.
Louis registered increases in March over both the
previous month and a year ago. The wholesale price
of pig lead, desilverized, averaged higher in March
than in either the previous month or a year ago.
The following table compiled from trade sources
shows the annual sales of electric fans since 1916:
1910
1017
1918
1019
TEAR
Domestic
270,604
3S0,3H
570,034
583,9G4
SALES OP ELECTRIC FANS
Export
i For "fan-year" ending Sept. 30.
31, SCO
41,231
43,740
48, G31
mm
1921
1922
1923
YEAR
Domestic
704,4M
494, 740
* 647,454
* 657,570
1(924
Export
103,757
3f.,$0I
Ml,899
1 42,69D