CONSTRUCTION BOOM will lift building outlays 7% to an all-time record $52.3 billion next year, say Commerce and Labor departments. Increases in highways (to $6 billion) and housing (to 1,200,000 units) will account for 80% of the gain.

TOLL-ROAD TROUBLES are easing a bit, giving holders of $4.7 billion worth of bonds somewhat happier view of their investment. End of recession plus opening of important new access roads has boosted traffic to cover eight big turnpikes' current interest cost.

DESILU STOCK, up to now privately owned, mainly by Desi Arnaz and Lucille Ball, will be offered to public at about $10 per share although TV show producers keep control of company. Desilu earnings: $3.54 per share in fiscal 1957, 10-c- per share last year when company bought RKO studios in Hollywood.

CAPITAL AIRLINES, strikebound for five weeks, got its first payment from mutual aid plan put into effect by six domestic carriers (TIME, Nov. 10, 1958). Size of payment covering Oct. 20-31 is secret, but insiders put sum at $500,000.

RAILROAD MERGER is under discussion by five New England roads: Bangor & Aroostook, Boston & Maine, Maine Central, Rutland Railway, New York, New Haven & Hartford. They want to cut costs of parallel operations, set up ninth biggest U.S. road with some 5,300 miles of track, $900 million of assets.

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