Markets.

Lyttelton Times, Volume VIII, Issue 527, 21 November 1857, Page 4

Markets.

NXW SOUTH WALES,

We have commercial intelligence from Sydney to the sth instant. The following extracts are all.that are important:—

The races have, in addition to the prevailing dullness, set business at a complete stand-still. Very little has^been done during the day, and the want of .conveyance to the interior tends to limit the operations of our dealers very conside--1 rably. -■'.''"' The arrivals are th« "William Alfred, from and the Wonga Wonga from Melbourne.; By the latter we have advices from Melbourne, and we regret that they are not of a cheeiving- nature. Several failures are reported and rt ore expected, although not among the large lit uses- ue arrivals there are considerable, and.'include .two vessels from Manilla, with sugars, cigVlrs» &*•> anc* &c New Era from Calcutta with* a; cargo, of pats and sugars. Eastern produce of all descriptions is quoted as having a down ward tendency ; but Cossipore sugars and Pati/a rice were held firmly for higher rates. Calcutta oats are , rather lower. The Schiller, with a cargo of Californiah oats hence, had arrived, -but we have riot heard of the sale of her cargo.— ■.' Empire, Get. 3; We have scarcely ever see" business at a more perfect stand-still than: it has been during the past week. In almost evtTy branch we notice :the greatest apathy, and isales are in most cases difficult to effect. We ha ye had considerable additions to our stocks, both\of European goods, Eastern produce; the arrivals comprising, besides our epasters, two vessels from London, one from Liverpool, two from the Mauritius, one. from Calcutta, one from Manilla, one from the United States and one from Valparaiso; and from Melbourne •• we ■ have also advices of several important arrivals to that portIn oar last -night's report we stated our ! belief that one of the Australasian , Steam Navigation Company's steamers would probably be employed by the European and Australian Eoyal Mail Company to convey, the mails homeward on the lith^of next month, owing to the impossibility of getting the European repaired in time. We Understand the City of Sydney wa? tendered to the Mail Company this morning.

... There is an increasing tightness in the money market? but we have no failures o? aay importance to il,°tice.

Flour and Wheat continue very much depressed : the millers' quotations are near the same, say £25 for first, s?nd £23 for. seconds flour, but we hear of smaii sales under these rates. Wheat is quoted at Bsr. 6d. to 9s. per bushel, but it is very difficult to place. We are afraid the advanced season will scarcely allow us to hope for much improvement, unless some demand should spring up in Melbourne, or the shipments which'have been'making to the East should be continued, ; as our stocks of both bai'rel and bag flour.a*e considerable. Eastern produce.—This.market, which bo lately demonstrated a ■ most unprecedented excitemeni and activity, is now also experiencing a marked change. Teas.—Both congous and hysonskins are moving off very slowly, And, with a very few exceptions, the transactions are chiefly confined to dealings amongst the trade. £oogous,ifirst,qksß, are quoted at £9 petchest, but wo dp.opfctjunk this price qpold be ob~

• tamed, and consider this quotation fully 10s. 5 above their actual value. Hysonskins of medium , quality, are worth from £4 to £4 10a. per chest. [ Sugars.—The sale held this week of the ' Bella Vista's cargo fully demonstrates not only ! a reduction in the value of sugars in Sydney, but showed strong signs of extreme caution on the part of the trade to stock themselves. The i small lots sold averaged from £46 per ton upwards, but the quantities were not considerable. The late advices from Manilla and the Mauritius report sugars as still very high; but the latter market was, by the accounts to hand per Maria, in anticipation of the English mail, reported as very dull, and the large number of vessels there loading for the colonies will, doubtless, bring further supplies. We cannot, } therefore, but anticipate a continued dulness in j this article.— lbid, Oct. 31. We cannot see any particular improvement in business manifested by to-day's transactions; and the great difficulty of getting teams for carnage into the interior, ■which is daily experienced, prevents the trade from operating to a great extent. There is a little more demand for spirits of all descriptions, but prices are not showing any improvement, and there is a disposition on the part of holders to sell. Brandy is firmer, and MarteH's is in some instances being held for 17s. 6d. per gallon, while higher rates are expected to rule after the arrival of next mail.— lbid, Nov. 4. VICTORIA. Commercial news from Melbourne to hand via Sydney reaches to the 29th ult. In addition to the remarks made by the Sydney papers given above, we quote the following:— The import market generally has during the past week exhibited excessive dulness. The almost incessant and heavy rains have checked the execution of country orders. Prices generally remain without material change; Eastern produce being decidedly firm. Liquors.—Draught ales of approved brands continue in steady request for consumption, and being chiefly sold to arrive, in anticipation of the summer season, more business has been done in unacknowledged brands than hitherto, though at low figures. Bulk porter is very dull, . and sales of any quantity are difficult to effect. Bottled beers are in fair enquiry, Byass's being worth lls. 6d. to lls. 9d.. and other favourite brands in proportion, while inferior descriptions sell only at much reduced value. This trade is much interfered with by the large quantities bottled and labled here, and despatched to the gold-fields as genuine brands. Spirits continue in veryjimited enquiry. There has been some speculation in brandy. Several parcels of Martell's were thrown into the market, and were at once taken up at 16s. 6d. and 17s. per gallon. The large holders are still asking1 former rates, but offers at 17s. per gallon have'been accepted Old torn, rum, geneva, and whiskey are slow of sale, and barely support quotations. There has not been a great amount of business in wines, the coldness of the season acting against the sale of light summer descriptions; but this branch of trade displays symptoms of approaching business.

great extent.

Flour, Grain, Ac—The flour market has been very inactive this week; the weather has prevented country buyers purchasing, and the sales hare been confined chiefly to small orders, for trade use. It is beyond all doubt that considerable stocks remain still on hand in South Australia; and as their harvest on the plains is expected to commence within two months of the^ present time, and likely to be very abundant, no improvement in price can be looked for here, our present stock being more than ample for all requirements, and although holders show a great degree of firmness, prices are decidedly tending downwards. A sale of a considerable .parcel of Haxall is repoi'ted at 525. per barrel; and we quote Adelaide, at close of to-day's market, at £22 10s. to £23, with but little inquiry. Wheat continues in steady demand, but supplies come slowly to hand. A parcel of New Zealand, of very fair quality, has changed hand at Bs. 2d. to Bs. 6d.; colonial celling steadily at Bs. 9d. to 9.<?. 6d. The heavy arrivals of oats here have affected prices, although the. demand has been good. Scotch oats have changed hands at auction in considerable parcels at 6s. 3d. They are now selling at 6s. 3d. to 6s. 6d. for Scotch, 7s. to 7s. 6d. for Irish, and 9s. 9d. to 10s. 3d. for colonial; barley is scarcely enquired for, and prices are almost nominal.— Argus, Oct. 26.

The import trade has been moderately active to-day, but business is fairly distributed among m-duy firms, so that none of them are disposed to admit that they are particularly brisk. Flour is a .littJe firmer, but it is hardly thought that it will recover the prices obtained a week or two ago : from £21 to £23 are the prices quoted, £22 10s. being about the limit to which purchasers are willing to go. Oats are lower again this week. Scotch and Irish are quoted at 65., and colonial can hardly command 9s.— Aqe t Oct. 29. ■ -