COMMERCIAL.

Southland Times, Volume III, Issue 219, 21 February 1866, Page 3

COMMERCIAL.

London, Dec. 26. The rate of discount is six per cent. There is a fair supply of money, but no activity. At the Stock Exchange short loans are done at 5i per cent. The tendency is towards the greatest firmness in the funds. Consols for account, 87f to 87f. Liverpool cotton market shows steadiness; prices unchanged. Eoreign stocks of all descriptions command favorable prices. Colonial Government Securities. — New South "Wales five per cents., 1866, January and July, 100 to 102 ; Victorian sixes, April and October, 104| to 105|; South Australian sixes, 1878 and upwards, 106 to 108 ; Queensland sixes, January and July, 102£ to 103 i; New Zealand sixes, 103 to 105. LONDON WOOL REPORT. Prices at the late sales were well maintained for all descriptions, but especially for full-bodied and good combing wools, at an advance of 2d. per pound on September prices, owing to extreme scarcity. The total quantity catalogued for this series was 60,287 bales. Some traders being short of stock bought freely; foreign buyers, although lame at first, bought freely afterwards. The wool market, with the exception of a quantity received after the sales, is quite bare, more so than for many years. The total increase on last year's imports is calculated at 70,000 bales. The Board of Trade returns have been issued for the last quarter, and are very satisfactory. Bank Dividends Declared: — London Chartered, half yearly, four per cent., free of income tax ; New Zealand Banking Company, for half-year, at the rate of ten per cent, per annum ; South Australian Company, seven per cent, per annum ; Peninsular and Oriental Steam Company, three and a half per cent, on underwriting account. Their fleet now consists of sixty-three vessels, of an agregrate of 92,353 tons, and 18,270 horse power. The Australian Mortgage and Pittance Company, £12 10s. per cent, per annum. The Bank of New Zealand will pay the January interest on New .Zealand Treasury bills, Auckland Harbor Bonds, and Canterbury and Otago loans.