FILTER SMOKES grabbed record 50.5% of booming U.S. cigarette market in 1959 (up from 46.1% a year ago), reports tobacco industry's top consultant, Harry M. Wootten. The five top sellers:

Camel (nonfilter) Pall Mall (nonfilter) Winston (filter) Lucky Strike (nonfilter) Kent (filter)

Profits of U.S. cigarette makers jumped 8.8% to $197 million in first nine months of 1959.

100 MILLION PASSENGERS, up from 1959's 95 million, will fly world's airways this year, predicts International Air Transport Association.

320 STOCK SPLITS in 1959 set a record. Previous high was 181 in 1955. Forty split proposals are al ready set for 1960, compared with only 22 at similar time last year.

FRENCH JETLINER ORDERS are being considered by United Air Lines for the mediumrange, twin-engine Caravelle. United has conducted preliminary negotiations with Caravelle builder, France's Sud Aviation.

FIRST PIPELINE designed for liquefied petroleum gas will be built by Missouri-Kansas-Texas Railroad. The $60 million, 2,500-mile pipeline artery will stretch from West Texas to Wisconsin and Minnesota. The railroad has already lined up enough shippers to supply 30,000 bbl. daily.

SENSIBLE FRENCH MONEY was issued last week by government. The new franc equals 100 old francs; e.g., one U.S. dollar equals 4.9 heavy francs, as compared to 490 old francs.

U.S. EXPORT INCREASE in 1960 will raise U.S. total to $18.5 billion, forecasts National Foreign Trade Council. Imports should rise by $500 million to $15.7 billion, leaving trade balance at $2.8 billion.

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