OUR BRADFORD LETTER.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2060, 11 December 1907, Page 5 (Supplement)

OUR BRADFORD LETTER.

MARKET SLACK BUT FIRM. (From Our Special Correspondent.) BRADFORD, Oct. 25. The past week’s business has been very much of a “marking timo” character, and overybody seems to be waiting patiently for something to turn up. It seems to bo a case of general slackness, with a united firmness for every quality of wool and toils. I daresay if anything topmakers of 40’s to 46’s are just a littlo squeezeablo, bus' ess liere 'keeping very quiet. During the past ten days there has been a good deal ot talk about Continental buyers coming in again both for tops and yarns, but whilo no doubt some sales of tops have been made, yet there has been no bulk. In this department German buyers aro wanting to get in at less money, and as this is not Bradford’s idea, things somewhat stick. I daresay Id less than what is ijtSw quoted for tops, and a penniless for yarns would see a hig business done, but neither topmakers nor spinners can see their way to work on such a basis. At the same time, nobody. need pay more than 13d for a good average top, and 16Jd will buy to-day the best 40’s made ill Bradford. If topmakers had not on baud some contracts the end of which they have not yet seen, coarse crossbreds would be very listless and certainly droop, but at present there is little disposition to move lower. Many feel that by tho end of the year all stocks of ’ good wool will bo wanted, and that prices will be no less, consequently there is no disposition to sacrifice anything. Merinos are.well held, though even hero new business i; slow. That cable from Melbourne last week announcing burry, seedy parcels 5 per cent down has undoubtedly checked new business, and everybody now has resolved to wait and see if good combing wools follow. Nobody will accepfany less price, but to affirm that Colonial markets are a penny above this market is a statement which I cannot endorse in the, least. Bradford buyers in Australia have sent home cables stating that super 60’s tops will cost what is about to-day’s quotation here, and sonic nice weights of wool have already /p, bought. Everything is hinginf - 'whether or no to-day’s rates a g to last, and with tho industri itloo'k not being of the brightest, it is making evihVbedy in Bradford very much opposed to following .suck prices as London recently established. It is 'that standard which everybody feels at the moment an unreasonable one, and which to some extent is regarded as being artificial.