FOREWORD

Business Statistics 1975, the twentieth biennial edition, presents the historical data for approximately 2,500 series that appear in the S-pages of the SURVEY OF CURRENT BUSINESS, published monthly by the Bureau of Economic Analysis. Data for the national income and product accounts reflect the recently completed benchmark revisions.

Data are shown annually for the years 1947-74, quarterly for the years 1964-74, and monthly for the years 1971-74. Explanatory notes are provided for each of the series in a separate section. The pages of this section are numbered to correspond to the statistical tables.

The appendix to this volume provides monthly or quarterly data for earlier periods for almost 400 of the more important series. In the regular statistical tables, these series are marked with a star in the box heading; page references to the appendix are given at the foot of the tables. Earlier monthly or quarterly data for series not in the appendix, are in previous editions of Business Statistics, of which only the 1973 edition is still in print. Copies can be purchased from the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C. 20402, or through most district offices of the U.S. Department of Commerce. For out-of-print editions, see reference copies in the U.S. Department of Commerce district offices, as well as in major libraries throughout the Nation.

Sincere appreciation is expressed for the generous cooperation and assistance of the many agencies, private and Government, that have contributed to this volume and to the monthly SURVEY. Contributing organizations are listed on pages 187. 188.

This volume was prepared in BEA's Current Business Analysis Division, under the general direction of Leo V. Barry, Jr., Chief of the Statistical Series Branch. Associates who deserve special acknowledgment for their efforts are: Bernice A. Bowman, Jean M. Plass, Rita M. Quick, Elaine W. Scott, and Sylvia D. Serafin.