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24. The trend of wholesale com moditv prices xv'U remain in a basic long-term downswing. Look for temporary price recoveries in many croups during the early part of 1953. but do not let them fool you. 25. Unless more■Hnterna t iona 1 troubles or drought strike hard, living costs should average some lower in 1953 than in 1952. Here again, the tapering-off will occur late, not early in the year Retail Trade 26 Over-all trade in 1953 will be close to 1952 levels as far as phvsical volume is' concerned, with a moderate decline in dol lar totals. The most attractive merchandising investments should be: <li Supermarket groceries: <2> Variety chains: (3) Mail or der stores: and <4> Department stores, excepting a few in the largest and most congested cities. 27. Demand for capital goods will hold strong during most of 1953. A definite slowing, how oxer. -will take place at some time. 1953 sales of consumer dur ables should about equal 1952's total sales, which xx-ere restricted by the steel strike. 28. Movement of soft goods dur ing 1953 should be about the same as during 1952. Some fresh ening of demand in tbs early months mav be offset late.' by a renewed lull. Real Kstate 29. Barring World War III. rent controls will be a thing of the past in most areas by the end of 1953. 30. Home building will be less in 1953. Prices mav xveaken dur ing the latter part of the year. Building costs should edge lower. Only small new houses will be in demand. 31. In my opinion, the cost of mortgage money will tend some what higher during 1953. 32. Construction of municipal and public works should rise moderately in 1953 as compared with 1952. This may be stepped up sharply late in the year if business falters. There may be a surplus of tax-free bonds 33. A moderate slide-off in the sale of commercial farm proper-, ties can be expected. No bad break, however, seems likely in 1953. Fear of World War III. moreover, should help farm prices. 34. Population trend is away from the big cities Fear of pos sible bombing and automobile oxercrowding will continue as a drag on city really values. Con tinued migration from the urban centers will help surburban pro perties. 35. For those who plan buying nexv hemes in 1953. I strongly urge the purchase of aceragc in suitable surburban areas. Surely, the H-bomb experiments should quicken the trend toward subsist- 1 ance farms. 36. As public housing programs ' Continued on page 3 I
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