CHEAPER BEEF is coming soon. Choice steers at stockyards now bring 28 1/2-c- a lb. v. 30 1/2-c- in September. Bigger drop is ahead because high prices during third quarter induced farmers to put 13% more cattle on feed lots than last year.

"HOT CARGO" CLAUSES in labor contracts, which provide that workers need not handle shipments to or from plant that is branded "unfair" by union, will remain in effect because U.S. Supreme Court last week declined to rule on their legality.

FLOOD INSURANCE underwritten by Government will probably go on sale in early 1957, says Federal Flood Indemnity Administrator Frank J. Meistrell. Government at first will pay 40% of policy costs, but intends to turn over $5 billion program entirely to private companies as soon as possible.

CREDIT PINCH is forcing home buyers to turn from Government-backed loans at 4 1/2 % ceiling to non-insured financing at 5%-6%. Survey of 284 U.S. cities by National Association of Real Estate Boards showed that FHA-backed loans on new houses are "ample" in only 8% of the cities v. 23% in June, while no funds at all are available in 50% of cities for 30-year, 10%-down-payment loans backed by Veterans Administration.

FARM EXPORTS are slicing huge U.S. surplus. Cotton shipments abroad are running nearly 300% ahead of last year's 2.2 million bales, may cut surplus from 14.5 million bales to 12 million by mid-1957. Wheat exports will spurt 15% to 400 million bu. in fiscal 1957, trim 1 billion-bushel hoard by 60 million bu.

GERMANY'S KRUPP is dickering with several big U.S. manufacturers to buy their know-how, designs and equipment for integrated steel plants Krupp will build abroad. Just signed is first ten-year pact, by which Pittsburgh's Blaw-Knox Co. will trade rolling-mill designs, engineering work for cash, toehold in burgeoning Krupp industrial projects abroad.

BUSINESS FLYING in company-owned light planes and airliners will rise 150% in next 15 years, says Commerce Under Secretary Louis Rothschild. His prediction: a 46% jump to 5.7 million flying hours annually by businessmen in 1960, a 100% jump to 7.8 million flying hours by 1965, and a 150% jump by 1970.

MAIL ORDERS will be tried by F. W. Woolworth Co. for the first time in 77-year history. Biggest U.S. dime-store chain is sending out some 750,000 Christmas catalogues listing 50 items that can be ordered through mail.

NEW PAY-TV ANGLE will be tested in Bartlesville, Okla. by Southwest's big (150 movie houses) Video Independent Theaters, Inc. First-run movies will be telecast by wire from local theater into home on TV channels not in commercial use. Price, including special wiring of TV set: $10 for eight to twelve films a month.

JAPAN AIR LINES, which made first postwar international flight less than two years ago, is clipping ahead so fast that it will convert to jet service on U.S.-Far East run by end of 1960. J.A.L. is negotiating with U.S. Export-Import Bank for $40 million loan to buy four Douglas DC-8 jets and four DC-7C piston-engine planes.

EASIER LOANS will be made available to trucking operators, badly pressed by credit pinch because many banks do not accept trucks as collateral. American Trucking Associations is mapping its own agency to make long-term loans for purchase of new trucks. Small Business Administration will lend to truckers grossing up to $5 million annually v. previous ceiling of $2 million.

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