MORTGAGE HELP is coming from Congress. While Senate is considering boost, House voted a $500 million increase in amount Federal National Mortgage Assn. can borrow from Treasury to buy U.S.-insured mortgages from private lenders. Bill will tide over Fannie Mae until June 30, by which time Eisenhower Administration hopes to hike agency's borrowing power by $1 billion.

FIAT EXPORT DRIVE will put Italy's biggest automaker into U.S. foreign-car sales race in a big way for first time. Encouraged by Germany's Volkswagen, which found 50,000 U.S. buyers last year, Fiat aims in 1957 to sell 10,000 of its models throughout nation. Price: $1,495 to $1,995.

FLOOD-INSURANCE RATES for homeowners will range from $1 to $12 per $100 of coverage when program gets rolling this summer, says Flood Insurance Commissioner Frank J. Meistrell. But insurancemen say that average rate of $5, or $500 for maximum $10,000 coverage on a residence, would be too steep for typical homeowner.

MEAT-PACKING CHECKUPS will be stepped up by Agriculture Department if Secretary Benson gets bigger appropriation to do job. Department wants to head off campaign by small packers to shift Benson's police powers to FTC on grounds he has been lax about such things as price discrimination, e.g., giveaway coupons by big packers.

WIDER MINIMUM-WAGE coverage is currently No. 1 legislative goal of A.F.L.-C.I.O., will probably be passed by Congress this year. Unions want to extend law to 10 million more Americans (now covered: 24 miliion) to cover most workers for big companies engaged in interstate trade, plus some in retail trade and service, laundry and dry cleaning, communications, taxi business. Next goal: boost minimum wage to $1.25 from $1 an hour.

TRADE STAMPS are running into trouble in state legislatures. Latest state to try to tax stamps out of existence is Tennessee, where legislature passed 2% gross-receipts tax on stamp-handling stores because small shopkeepers complained of competition. Antistamp laws are in effect in Kansas, Washington, Wisconsin, and restrictive bills are pending in 21 other states.

CANADIAN STOCK RIGGING caused Montreal and Toronto Stock Exchanges to sever relations with Edmonton Stock Exchange. Reason: "unethical" conduct by recently resigned Edmonton Exchange Vice President Marcel A. Miles, who helped peddle stock in Green Bay Mining & Exploration Co. By "false, fraudulent and deceptive literature," charged New York State Attorney General, stock was boosted from 50-c- to $12.50 a share last year, then dropped to 50-c- to $1 a share in crash that cost U.S. investors an estimated $6,000,000.

MAIL-ORDER SHOPS will be tried in some National Tea Co. supermarkets. Aldens Inc. of Chicago will sell lower-price appliances and clothing, also set up catalogue stands for ordering more expensive merchandise.

GENERAL ANILINE & FILM, richest enemy firm seized by U.S. in World War II, is on the block. SEC accepted the Justice Department's registration statement for sale to private U.S. iavestors of 80% of stock in $160 million company. Department hopes to get rid of its holdings despite suits by 1,500 foreign shareholders to block sale.

This file is automatically generated by a robot program, so reader's discretion is required.