MARKETS AT A GLANCE.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 25, 31 January 1928, Page 4

MARKETS AT A GLANCE.

STEADY WHOLESALE TRADE. FIRMER MARKETS ON PRUNES ADVANCE ON ENGLISH LINSEED OIL. "Auckland Star" Office, Tuesday, January 31. Merchants experienced a good volume of business irom all quarters last week, owing to the 25th deliveries. Island requirements also had to be fixed up in time for the departure of the Tofua last Saturday, which meant an additional rush for a number of merchants. Owing to the shorter week caused by the holiday yesterday, merchant and retail travellers will experience a busy week and warehouses and stores anticipate doing brisk business. General. Trade in dried fruits in wholesale hands is rather light, but owing to the amount of fresh fruit about sales are small. Currants have been scarce and prices have been moved up a little to meet the increased replacement cost. Sultanas are in little demand just now, but prices are very firm. Bulk dates are ruling lower owing to lower replacement values, although stocks temporarily are rather light. Packets are firmer in value and supplies are short. Apricots are selling well, there being an extensive demand for this fruit for jam making. Supplies of peaches are about done, but there 16 little demand. Apples are in very light supply. The heavy sales of figs, both in bulk and boxed varieties, during December has left merchants with a very small carry-over, but the demand now is very smalj. Prunes are rather lightly held in most sizes, and the rise in forward values is making 6pot quotations very favourable to retailers. Carton prunes have been selling well, and stocks are now getting low. Canadian packers of loganberries are apparently experiencing difficulty in executing all orders in hand, as supplies expected early in December have not yet eventuated. The Aorangi has just brought further supplies of both cherries and keffier pears, which previously were in short supply and a ready demand is now anticipated. In floor polishes radium is now listed at a reduction—small 1/6 and large 2/6 per dozen. Boot 3d per dozen in all colours. Gibbs' dentifrice has been reduced slightly to the wholesale, but not sufficiently to cause any reduction in retail selling rates. Nestles tinned cream, which has been in short supply ever since first introduced, is now in ample supply, the heavy consignments recently landed being ample to take care of all requirements for some time to come. New selling terms, fixing wholesale selling rates, have just been announced on Pyrrohoea tooth paste. The Kaponga arrived last week from Melbourne and brought the last deliveries of Australian currants and sultanas for this port. As stocks were very low, particularly in currants, the trade will just about manage until the new season's fruit comes in about March next. Haricot Beans. Following on the advice received last week that new season's haricot beans were likely to be dearer owing to the keen European demand, local agents advise the receipt of cables from their shippers in Rangoon, notifying an advance in indent rates of £1 per ton for March-April shipment. Citrie Acid. Further cables received from London shippers in connection with citric acid crystals advise that the market has firmed a Id per lb owing to the scarcity of raw materials, and that suppliers are nnable to offer further quantities at present. Linseed Oil. The English market for linseed oil, both raw and boiled, has shown a sharp advance, cables received some days ago advising an increase in quotations of VAd per gallon for spread shipment up to the end of April next. American Resin. The market in America is unusually firm just now, cables received by agents a week ago advancing indent rates still further. A comparison of the rate quoted in November last when merchants sent lip a considerable portion of their business and the indent rates now ruling shows an advance of £3 per ton on "G" grade with the same proportionate increase on "N." Ceylon Tea. At the sale held in Colombo on the 24th inet. 3,000,0001b of tea was placed under offer, which, although not quite so large as the previous week's offering, was considered quite substantial for this time of the year. Quality in practically all grades showed an improvement, and the result of the sale showed a good general demand, with prices very firm. All buyers excepting Russia were interested, exchange was quoted at 1/6 11-32. Kipper Snacks. Norwegian pack kipper snacks are now being quoted by shippers for prompt shipment at a reduction of 3/6 per case on previous quotations. This fish is packed in convenient sized tins for distribution, and makes quite a tasty dish, but sales of late have been rather slow, mainly owing to an unfortunate delivery to this market of a shipment of poor quality, which has given the line a decided setback. Lima Beans. Agents advise the receipt of cables from London reducing indent quotations for Madagascar lima beans, new season's, 9d per cwt for shipment commencing April next. Norwegian Sild. Some of the agents for Norwegian sild advise the receipt of cables from principals offering a parcel of eights and twolayer quarters for prompt shipment at rates showing a reduction of approximately 2/6 per case from previous ruling rates. Desiccated Coconut. Mail advices received by one of the large distributing agents of desiccated coconut explains the reason of the recent delays in the arrival of Supplies from Colombo. The main difficulty seems to have been the disparity between the copra and desiccated coconut markets, which paid sellers' of cocounts appreciably better to turn their nuts into copra or to sell to copra merchants than to sell to desiccated coconut millers. The result has been that the factories have only been able to work intermittently. This disparity in the market is righting itself gradually, but it will ibe some little time before shippers will be able to overtake their arrears of orders, j Brazil Nuts and Kernels. The brazil market is still very speculative and practically no business is passing, merchants preferring to wait till the market comes to a lower level before they place their season's business. Prunes. All grades of prunes are now being quoted on an advancing market, recent cables advising an advance of 3/ per cwt on the small sizes and a rise of 1/ to 2/ per cwt on the larger sizes. The latest information from America is to the effect that stocks are very short on the small si zee and that buyers from the Continent are operating very extensively. Merchants '.id not take full advantage of the low .;v;ees quoted on prunes in the early part the season, despite the fact that the "ires quoted were lower than has been ■ < r ! l 8c before the war, and could not «ibly have shown a reasonable return *"-t 1 L < * r ° weM * To-day's figures reprebLwT"^ 1 * . Taln< * would - : ear llke !y to be maintained.

Cocoa Butter. English shippers of cocoa butter recently cabled their agents advising that sellers' rates had advanced 2/ per cwt, and that quotations were generally very firm. Bulk Raisins. The same low market is applying on bulk raisins now as applied on prunes earlier in the season, and whilst some shippers will not sell at the low r.itee acceptablc to others, there are some who are prepared to give merchants the full benefit ox the very low prices ruling at present. Here, again, the opinion has been expressed that merchants do not fully realise just how low packers' quotations really are, and unless quick action is taken will be caught short just like is now applying on prunes, as it would appear reasonably certain that an advance will take place before long. This refers more particularly to the oil and soda bleached varieties which are being offered to dealers a good deal below what this market has been previously asked to pay. Barcelona Kernels. The market for Barcelona kernels has shown a firming tendency during the last week or two, the last advices received by cable from London showing an increase in quotations, for prompt shipment, of 7/6 per cwt. Crystallised Cherries. Agents for crj-stallised cherries have advised that the market is very firm, quotations for immediate shipment having already advanced a l%d per lb for prompt and forward shipment. Australian Canned Fruit. After various delays the prices on new season's Australian canned fruit have j been announced, and booking on new pack j is now proceeding. Peaches in both halves j and slices are quoted at a reduction of ' 9d per dozen, but are still 1/ to 1/3 per dozen higher than Californian. Apricots are 3d per dozen dearer and are 9d to 1/ per dozen in favour of Californian. Pears remain unchanged, and at the prices listed are practically prohibitive from both sources, so Canadian are therefore favoured. Wholesale Current Prices. Butter.—First grade factory butter, booked 1/5% per lb and l/4?4 per lb for prompt cash. Second grade factory, 1/3% per lb and 1/3 per lb for prompt cash. Farmers' separator, 1/3Vz per lb. Cheese.—First grade factory, medium size, mild, 9d to 9%d per lb; loaf, per lb.

Bacon.—Hams, 1/ to 1/2 per lb; rolled h&ms, 1/2 to 1/4 per lb: boned hama, 1/2 to 1/4 per lb. Bacon: Sidee, B%d to 9%d per lb; rolled sidee, lO&d U 1/ per lb; middles, ll%d to 1/2 per lb; shoulders, 7d to 9d per lb; rolled shoulder*, 9d to lid per lb. Lard: Bulk, 9d to lOd per lb; pate, lOd to lid per lb. Flour.—Local: 2001b sacks, £18 per ton; 100'fi, £18 15/ per ton; 50's, £19 5/ per ton; 25' a, £20 per ton; 12tt's, £20 17/6 per ton; 6%'s, £21 7/6 per ton. Southern: 2001b sacks, £18 per ton; 100's, £18 15/ per ton; 50'b, £19 per ton; 25'e, £19 10/ per ton; 12%'e, £20 5/ per ton; 6)4's, £20 17/6 per ton, all lew 2% per cent discount.

Sharps and Bran.—Local sharps, £8 5/ per ton; bran, £6 15/ per ton. Linseed.—Whole, 20/6 per cwt; ground, 21/6 per 1001b. Malt.—Crushed, 12/ per bushel; whole white, 12/ per bushel; whole black, 15/6 per bushel. Twines.—Seaming, 3/9 per lb; binder, 8d per lb. Peameal.—l3/ per 1005b. Linseed Oil Cake Nute.—Moose, 16/ Der 1001b. Bluestone.—33/ per cwt. Linseed Meal.—Moose, 17/6 per 1001b.