In spite of the forebodings of the Food Controller, several
newspapers give figures to show that prices, are faille It seems certain at least that there is a fall in some retail markets which .are free of control. We are glad to see that the Economist is . able to go even further than this and to declare that "after an uninterrupted rise for twelve consecutive months, wholesale prices show a decline." The index number of the Economist for April works out at 8,232 as compared with 8,352 at the end ' of March, and 5,774 at the end of April, 1919. Aceording to the table in the Economist, there has been a decline in each of the • following five groups : "Cereals and Meat ; other food products (Tea, Sugar, &a); Textiles, Minerals, Miscellaneous (Rubber, Timber, Oils, etc.)." Moreover, the figures of our foreign trade are better than they have ever been before, though of course the figures unfortunately represent values and not bulk. During the past month imports were valued at 167 million pounds, British exports at 106-} million pounds, and re-exports at 20i millions. These figures mean an increase over April, 1919, of 49 per cent. in imports, 81 per cent. in British exports, and 52 per cent. in re-exports.
Previous page
