THE WOOLLEN TRADE.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 9, Issue 589, 3 December 1920, Page 2

THE WOOLLEN TRADE.

STOCKS AND PRICES.

The woollen trade was the subject of some comment in the September Bulletin of the British Department of Overseas Trade. "There is generally little change in the position of the raw material, for although at the present series of London wool auctions prices "Have shown a rather firmer tendency, the advance is not pronounced, and can hardly be taken as indicating that lowest prices have been touched," said the official publication. "In certain grades demaii. l has been induced by special circumstances, such as that for finer qualities of merino wools, which were in special request owing to the scarcity of those grades suitable for good warps; but for the commoner sorts of wool, demand has been little, if any. more brisk than formerly. Stocks generally are rather heavy, and the' opinion is expressed that prices have no! yet touched their lowest level. "Export inquiries have been rather more numerous, although the uncertainty regarding prices has material- j ly restricted the resultant business, and exporters are desirous of consid- I eiable expansion in overseas demand. I With regard to woollen textile goods, the position shows little improve-, n.int. Buyers of cloth are holding of!' pending the establishment of n more reliable basis of prices, and demand consequently leaves much to i):' desired. It is, however, believed that the price difficulty is almost wholly responsible for the present slackness, and manufacturers confidently anticipate an active demand when buyers are satisfied that prices have reached a more or less settled level. Much the same difficulty is experienced with regard to the over seas demand, and the outlook generally appears to be dependent, to a high degree, upon future price move ments."