1959 CORPORATE PROFITS will jump to $21.5 billion, up a full 20% from 1958's estimated $17.8 billion and just a shade below $21.8 billion of 1957, predicts National Securities & Research Corp., one of leading mutual funds (assets: more than $400 million).

U.S. EXPORT SLUMP will continue, warns Commerce Department. Though exports edged up slightly in third quarter, "the rise is not sufficient to indicate that the low has been passed, and the upswing has started."

WEST GERMAN COMPETITION with U.S. and British firms is growing stiffer in underdeveloped areas. West Germany's latest prize: a $14 million contract to engineer biggest hydroelectric power project in Southeast Asia, a 200,000-kw. job in Malaya's Cameron Highlands.

DEVELOPMENT LOAN FUND, from which U.S. lends to spur private enterprises abroad, has suffered severe pruning in battle of budget. With backlog of about $1.5 billion in loan requests from all parts of world, fund had hopes for $1 billion appropriation in next fiscal year. But Administration reluctantly cut figure to $700 million, and Congress is expected to trim more.

LIFE-POLICY SALES dipped in 1958 for first time since 1951. Purchases through November dropped 2% to $58.5 billion. Sales of ordinary life insurance policies rose, but new group and industrial life totals fell.

INSTALLMENT-BUYING BOOM has lifted British economy in few months since government eliminated minimum down-payment requirements and banks started making no-collateral 5% loans to wage earners.

December retail sales are expected to show 7 % gain over year ago, with greatest rise in TV sets, appliances, furniture.

TEXAS INSTRUMENTS, leader in high-quality semiconductors with sales of $90 million (TIME, Dec. 22), will move into production of nuclear fuels and thermostatic controls. If stockholders approve, as expected, it will merge with Massachusetts' Metals & Controls Corp. (sales: $45 million).

KAISER-ALFA ROMEO DEAL will link the two automakers in Argentina, where Industrias Kaiser now turns out Jeeps and cars similar to the 1955 Manhattan. Next fall Kaiser will start assembling small cars with its own four-cylinder engines and sporty, four-door Alfa Romeo bodies made by Kaiser in Argentina, with dies from Italy.

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