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Show IMPROVEMENT SEEN FOR STEEUNDUSTRY NEW YORK, Dec. 22 Spotty improvements in orders and inquiries in-quiries have become most apparent and possibly indicate more widespread wide-spread buying interest in January, - '.as4sn ge aisaysd Wadnoadey Mfc iCa weekly review of the steel Industry. The week's operating rate dropped to 23 5 per cent of capacity and next week's rate might be still lower, the trade publication stated, as some mills, now trying to give as much employment as possible before be-fore Christmas, will shut down this Thursday or Friday until New Year's day. "Much of this week's more hopeful hope-ful news cornea out of Chicago," the survey said, "where one important impor-tant producer has had the largest sales since the week of September 24. Operations in that area are also helped out by an increase by one company, which almost offset losses by others, resulting in a net reduction of only a half point in the district average of 23 'i per cent." ! ' i |