THE HOME MARKETS.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume V, Issue 1277, 1 July 1886, Page 2

THE HOME MARKETS.

The following particulars are taken from the London ct cular of the National Mortgage and Agency Company, dated May 20 :

le Wool.— There has been a considerable af enquiry from the Continent, which has >n resulted in the a tie of about 6000 bales h at prices in advance of those current at r. the last auctions. The . advance is estic- mated at sn av rage of Id per lb. all p round, bat in some instances it is rather ir more. This somewhat unusual activity o in the market within so short a period of foe closing of the Matoh-April sales confirms the idea to a great extent that tl consumers are not overburdened with It stock, so th it any special demand for a goods is at once discernible in the market for the raw material. It is currently e believed that this has been especially the ■ case la the north of Fiance, and hence 0 the corresponding movement here. { Crossbreds, on the other hand, do not attract any competition from English buyers, and for the moment would appear to have a downward tendency, j On 12th instant a sale of River Plate j wool was held at Havre, when 1673 ba’es , were catalogued. At auctions 500 bales [ were sold at an occasional advance of per lb., and subsequently 300 balea^wete 1 placed at firm prices. ■» The Antwerp series of sales^Q|i y6r Plate wools and 27tb instant, dealing with ✓an available total cf about 16.0C0 bales. The opening catalogue consisted of about 11C0 bales, which sold at an average advance of |d per lb. on February rates About 2000 bales River Plate and 500 bab a Australian changed hands previous to the sale at prices showing a corresponding advance. Wheat, —Nothing of importance has occurred in this market, and trade has been alow. Prices have been maintained, however, and the value of English wheat has advanced about a' Is per quar- j I ter, ah hough deliveries appear from the official returns to have Increased, and have not been taken off so freely as of late. The weather has been more favorable within the past I few days, and abundance of rain has fallen, which has already caused beneficial results. Increased shipments are reported from America, and prices there , aconsiderable reduction. I

Frozen Meat. —The general market has been subject to considerable fluctuations. Supplies of beef of all kirds have been plentiful, (but home mu'ton his ' been scarce till within the last day or two, a rise in the price of about Id p;r lb being established. The advance, however, caused larger quantities to be sent to market, and quotations do not now exhibit the highest point touched. Frozen mutton has been fairly steady, and quotations show no alteration, although the qqality of a portion of the recent arrivals of mutton has not been satisfactory, and exhibits a falling away from the standard which has so often been brought prominently before shippers. This is also the case with the consignments of lamb which are at present to hard, and militates against their sale. The demand . for the latter has been greater, but prices cannot be quoted above those given In our last iesne.