Show HORIZONTAL AL TREND OF TRADE EXPECTED In its weekly summary of oC the genera general gen gen- era eral business situation the Standard Statistics company currently comments comments com com- corn com ments as follows Following the slight and belated seasonal expansion in general industrial Indus indus- trial rial operations during Ma May current business activity remains around the relatively stabilized levels of the immediate immediate immediate im im- im- im mediate past Corrected for seasonal variation alone the Standard Statistics Statistics Statis- Statis tics ics company index of industrial pro production production for lor the full month o of May MaYI tentatively stands at as compared compared com corn pared with a revised figure for April of and the final March index of The immediate outlook points to tono tono tono no sharp deviation from the current horizontal trend largely because of the he extremely low base basc which already exists together with the prospect for fora a continued hi high h rate of Ford ity ty Nevertheless in surveying the outlook for lor the summer months as a whole sight must not be lost of the increasingly large number of plants which are arc contemplating a n complete cessation of operations for a period of or from one to several weel weeks s. s Numerous Numerous Numerous Nu Nu- concerns in such lines as copper copper copper cop cop- per automobiles cotton goods steel etc tc already have announced such intentions and a number of oC other trades rades are expected to follow this lead cad Thus while normal selling operations opera- opera Ions of a considerable proportion of these companies undoubtedly will be continued during durins the period of oC plant shutdowns out o of accumulated stocks actual production as measured by production indexes probably will reach each a new low level with present evidence pointing to August as the most likely month for this occur occur- rence Following mg this temporary bottom bot bot- torn tom om level activity again should as assume assume assume as- as sume a rough stability around current current cur cur- rent levels Sustained improvement during the fall months can be accomplished pushed only with w a n greater than now flOW expected speed in the clarification of general political and economic uncertainties 1 |