COMMERCIAL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVI, Issue 65, 21 March 1904, Page 2

COMMERCIAL.

LONDON MARKET REPORTS. (Per Press Association.) LONDON, March 18. Broadstufls.—Flour : Minneapolis <1 dollars 70 cents. Wheat: San 1' rancisco, 1 dollar 40 cents. Australian cargoes nre quiet at 31s 3d ; Jlh (id is asked for grain pending; shipment, and 31s (id for cargoes afloat.

Produce.—Butter ; There is a further slump, Copenhagen brands bonig markedly depressed, and trada is very slow, New Zealand Is quoted at 9(is per cwt., Victorian 94s to 9(is, New South Wales 90s to »4g, Danish 107s. Cheese : Tho market is In mar. New Zealand brands nr® (looted ut 50s per cwt. Hal/bite : Prices are firmer ; best m»w 7id, old ()Jd. English supplies have practically ceased.

Metal Markets.—Copper : Trice on spot, £57 7s (id per ton ; throo months, £56 12s Gd. Tin : Spot, £127 5s per ton ; three months,£l27 2a 0(1. Fig iron : Mid<ile»b>oro\ 43s KM per (on, cash. Lund : £ll IBs '.HI per ton. Spelter : £2l l()g 3d pel ton. Silver :2 s 2Jd per oz. Suffur. - The market is steady. I'irst marks 10s ad perewt., German beet 8s 4d.

Wool. At Bradford the market Is quiet. Crossbreds remain Arm but mvrinos are easier, Forties ore ifuolwl at 12Jd, 40's at 13R comi' s 'V" a!KI super 60' a '! ,7'* , ? hure is a K° od demand at (lie London sales, prices being maintained. Sales included the following clips "Lagmhor," 9id • lennent," 9Jd ; "Puketoi," 10|d, '

EXrOU'J' OX-' I'KODUCE. The total value of (lie <luiry produce and frozen meat exported from the colony Jor January and Februaej was £1,024,588, as compared With £1,080,414 for the eorrespond- ■ mg months of last yeur, showing decline of £01,870. The decrease is entirely ni frozen meat, and the t)auivs show as under 1004 1003 "" Uor 470,790 423^488 ! Uieesu ... ... 00,509 50,434 , lr " ttim 215,872 830,090 Legs and pieces 9,733 14,320 £1,021,f>38£1,086,4U The increase shown by dairy uro(luce totals £00,443, while the de"i'VPo 'l* fromi '"eat amounts to £122,319. Besides the smaller quantity ol meat exported the selling values are lower with prospects of a further decline. The exports of dairy produce show a satisfactory increase in quantity, but valuos hav« been lower. The more recont effort to raise prices, with the problematic shortage of Siberian supplier as the excuse, has failed, and prices ar« buck to Their old level. The fact is (hat consumers are not able to atford thp enhanced values, and with the advance in price consumption declined. It is worth noting that tho Australian production of butler this season is in excess of (he record veur of 1899-1900, when just over 17*000 tons were sent from Australia to tho United Kingdom. Already this year over 10,500 tons have been shipped and supplies are still coming in ly. It is anticipated that exports will continue till about th« middle oi April, and tho season will probably close with exports aiiumntmpr to 18,000 to 19,000 tons, probably more.—Post.