London Wool Market.

Feilding Star, Volume XVII, Issue 20, 23 July 1895, Page 2

London Wool Market.

Messrs Barraud and Abraham's London agents, R. T. Turnbull and Co., report by the 'Frisco mail as follows: — The third series of wool sales of the current year lasted from April 30th to May 25th inclusive, the time originally arranged having been les-.en©d by five days. We reported upon the fir&t half of the BOries ia our last issue, by which date some of the ground so unexpectedly lost at the opening had been recovered, but demands fell off: again as wants were beiDg supplied, and the qualities used in France were weak in the absence of any buying competition. Prices generally were irregular, and the tone was flatter. A slight reaction again occurred during the last week, which was also stimulated by some more activity on the part of the French trade, and the closing values of the series were firmer, but without aDy great signs of inherent strength in the market. The quantity catalogued was about 313,000 bales out of an available total of, fay, 340,000 ; of these 272,000 were sold, leaving close upon 70,000 bales which were bought in and held over. The catalogues embraced a fair representation of merinos and crossbreds. The best qualities of greasy merinos were in good and active demand at firm rates, while middling and lower grades were weaker than at the close of series 11., losing £d to £d per lb. Scoured? on the whole were easier than in March. There was brisk competition for any strong-fibred deep- grown crossbreds of gcod lustre that were catalogue £, and these have maintained their previous values with firmness, while the softer, finer, and loss lengthy staple was from par to M per lb down ; dingy and shabby qualities fell $d to Id, Superior merino lambs were in short supply and held their own, inferior lo9t about £d overhead. During the interval between series II and 111 nothing had occurred wbi'jh seemed likely to effect the market towards lower prices, and it is not ea.<y to forecast the future. The improvement in trade which we have refened, to above finds good expression jg the woollen industries at Home and abroad, and the raw material ought to benefit thereby. At the same time, the approach of summer brings with it thd shearing of the European and American flbeks, whose wool must be added to the supplies from Australasia. The official returns for the month of May again show an encouraging increase in this department, the figures for the exports of British and Irish and woollen and worsted tissues being — For May alone, 1895, £999,628 ; 1894, £577,368 ; 1893, £834,799. For five months ending May 31st, 1895, £6,557,908 j 189^, £4,556,881 ; 189§, £5,790,682. The fourth series will begin on July 2nd, the quantity being limited io 400,000 bales.