Breaking Records

The bustling auto industry reached the highest production peak in its history last week. By working overtime, on Saturday and on extra shifts, automakers rolled out 168,160 passenger cars, a full 2,300 above the previous alltime record week ending June 24, 1950. Total for 1955's first six weeks: 959,080 passenger cars, 40% above the comparable period for 1954.

The construction industry also broke a record. The U.S. Commerce and Labor Departments reported that spending in January for private construction topped $2 billion, up 20% from 1954 levels. Although unemployment took its usual January climb (mostly because retailers laid off temporary Christmas help), the new jobless (500,000) were 35% below last year's January layoffs. The new Labor-Commerce unemployment index (100 equals 1947-49 average) showed that unemployment has dropped steadily from 140 last summer to 114 in January.

Optimistic Wall Streeters continued their broad and heavy trading (well above 3,000,000 shares daily), by week's end pushed the Dow-Jones industrial average up 4.23 points to 413.99, a new record.

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