BRITISH TRADE

Evening Post, Volume CXIII, Issue 55, 7 March 1927, Page 17

BRITISH TRADE

FIGURES FOR DECEMBER

GHAVE EESULTS OP STRIKE

(From Our Own Correspondent)

T , ■ -..; LONDON, 14th January. Tho British trade figures for December may be said to contain most of the worst of the worst features which have characterised each month in the year, almost the only IT-leeiuing point being signs of a resumption of coal exports. . . - ; : :

■_ For December there was a,decline in the value of imports of about £21,000 -' nnS' aIV-, hl eXPOrt3 Of about £19 000----000, while tho adverse trade balance for tho month o£ £52,000,000 was quite tho worst for any mon th in the year. Moreover, the shrinkage in imports is the more impressive, because, under the iSi^fioSoS 1 *■■au iucroaso o£ In One of two instances, however, lower prices accentuated the movement ' this being particularly so in the case of rubber, wool, and raw cotton. Under the last-named head, there was a fall in the valuo^of imports for, December ot nearly , £7,000,000, of which a shrinkage of uekrly £5,000,000 applied to 1 arrivals from the United States, although the decline in quantities was comparatively small. Imports of foodstuffs declined in valuo by £11,600 000 whilo an unfavourable point in the returns was the fact that where, increases-' m imports occurred, they werp chiefly in articles wholly or mainly manufactured

IMPORTS OF GOAL,

A bettor idoa jf the havoc wrought by tho coal stoppage is to bo found by examining tho trado figures for the whole year. In December, 1925, an improvement in the figures of imports was generally regarded as indicating preparations for bettor trade conditions in 1020. How-completely these hopes were doomed to disappointment is now revealed.. Notwithstanding tho fact that imports of coal, which are usually nil •figured in 1920 for no-less than £43,----000,000, tho total shrinkage in tho valuo of exports was no loss than £79,000,000. It is quito, true tlmt lower prices were responsible- in some instances,, and notably, perhaps', in the case of raw cotton, wlioro-tho-y.alue. received was less for fchu year by, £;'i1,000,000, although quantities scarcely do«Hucd in tho same proportion., From the.United States alone tho. value of cotton received for last year was. £16,500,000 less than in' tho provipus year, and there was a fallingoff of- about £8,500,000 in arrivals from Egypt. ■ ;--.

REDUCTION .IN FOODSTUFFS.

In tho ease of foodstuffs, the shrinkago in vahio for tho year was nearly £40,000,000, of which £11,600,000 was iv grain and-flour, and £9,000,000 in dutiable foodstuffs, notably in sugar. In these cases lower prices were partly responsible,'while' as regards wheat it is probable that -the'situation was affected h$ better harvests in this country, arid insofar' as the movement was due to either of these-two causes the point is, of course, a favourable one. A less favourable point was the material in-■ci-easo: which occurred in many imports of partly-manuflictured articles, and especially in iron ■ and steel manufactures, whore there was an increase of £5,653,000. Even when all allowance is made for tho falling-off in coal oxports of £31,000,000, the shrinkage of £78,000,000 in the value of exports for the past year is a serious matter. . 85, Fleet street. ,