WHOLESALE PRICES

Evening Post, Volume CXXI, Issue 23, 28 January 1936, Page 12

WHOLESALE PRICES

NOVEMBER INDEX NUMBER

* HIGHEST SINCE 1932

"The Statist" index number for November shows that the rise in wholesale prices continues. For November the index number stood at 86.3 per cent. (1867-77=100), which is the highest figure since February, 1932, and is 0.6 per cent, higher than the index number for October and 6.5 per cent, higher than that of November of last year. In November, as in October, the advance in the index number of all classes combined took place despite a fall in the foodstuffs group. In November this group showed a decline of 1.3 per cent., all sections standing lower than a month previously—vegetable foods by 2.0 per cent., animal foods by 0.5 per cent., and sugar, coffee, and tea by 2.6 per cent. The fall in the case of the first of these sections is in contrast to the rise which ocurred last month, and is accounted for by lower prices of barley, English wheat, oats, and flour, though potatoes were substantially dearer. In the animal food section the fall in the index number is less than that which took place in October; there would, in fact, have been a rise in the section as a whole if it had not been for a sharp downward movement in the price of bacon, for prime and middling mutton, pork, and butter all showed increases in price. The change in the sugar, coffer., and tea section is in the reverse direction from the movement last month, but while sugar continued the upward tendency noticed then, tea showed a considerable cheapening in quotations. The materials group increased by 1.3 per cent, on last month's figure, Ihe minerals and textiles section again rising, this time by 0.9 per cent, and 5.7 per cent, respectively, while the sundries section fell only very slightly, by 0.1 per cent. The rise in iron prices, resulting from the accentuation of demand and increased costs in the industry the continuation of price rises in best Yorkshire house coal, explained by strike fears and consequent large orders, and the marking up of quotations for piglead, explain the upward movement in the section, for there was only one substantial decline, namely, that in respect of tin. WOOL AND FLAX DEARER. In the textiles section the largest sectional increase was again recorded (5.7 per cent.), and all items, with the single exception of silk, contributed to the advance. Wool increased most in price, but the rise in the case of flax was also considerable. In the sundry materials section, hides, palm and olive oil, linseeds and timber were cheaper, and movements in these commodities outweighed a steep rise in the price of leather. In comparison with a year previously foodstuffs showed a rise of 0.3 per cent vegetable foods standing 3.7 per cent, higher and animal foods and sugar, coffee and tea 0.5 per cent, and 71 per cent, lower, respectively, me materials group was 10.3 per cent, higher than a year ago. In this group textiles showed a very large increase (19 8 per cent.) on last years index number, while substantially higher figures were recorded for minerals U.S per cent, increase) and sundry materials (7.9 per cent, increase).