Wholesale Prices Decline

Despite such public outbreaks against rising prices as has occurred in the case of sugar, the general movement of wholesale prices on May 1 was still downward. Broadstreet's price index number for wholesale commodities dropped sharply to 148.1 on that date from 151.1 on April 1, which in turn represented a drop from the figure of 151.2 for March. Previous to the latter date, the index of wholesale prices had advanced almost uninterruptedly from the low figure of June 1, 1921.

Taken by groups from April 1 to May 1 this year, livestock remained unchanged at 100, hides at 118, oils at 157 and building materials at 180. Provisions fell from 141 to 137, fruits from 154 to 152, textiles from 170 to 167, metals from 121 to 116, naval stores from 328 to 262 and miscellaneous from 200 to 195, while breadstuffs advanced from 127 to 128, coal and coke from 210 to 219 and chemicals from 202 to 207.