Production Easy: TIME'S index eased to 157.9 (estimated) in the Sept. 27 week, lowest since mid-July and 0.5 point under the preceding week's final figure. Main reason for the latest decline: a contra-seasonal drop in power output,caused by cool weather (less refrigerator load) and non-defense factory shutdowns.
Many types of goods are showing signs of being overbought. Steel orders (though still ahead of output) are running 35% to 40% below August, will probably slip further. Furniture manufacturers last month accepted 29% less business than in July, largely because they could not have filled the orders anyway. But such declines are not typical....