MARKETS AT A GLANCE.

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 172, 23 July 1929, Page 4

MARKETS AT A GLANCE.

GOOD GROCERY TURNOVER. RESIN MARKET FIRP ER. COCOA BUTTER WEAKER. •'Auckland Star" Office, Tuesday. July 23. Although business opened up rather on the quiet side last week, trade yesterday showed a marked improvement, and it is quite evident from the heavy nature of the mail that grocery .merchants particularly will experience a very busy week. General. A small parcel of Norwegian crossed fk;h brisling is expected to arrive here abou„ October next, and as this line has been practically oil' the market owing to the failure of the catch this year, this parcel will prove particularly welcome and should be quickly distributed on arrival. Desiccated coconut, in both bulk and packets, has just been advanced again, so that merchants will shortly have to revise their costs to the trade. There seems to be a certain amount of difficulty in regard to future stocks of Californian canned dessert fruit, and it is doubtful if any iargc quantities will be imported owing to the recent advances made on any available stocks practically ruling them out of competition with other markets. A well known line of baby powder has just advised the trade of the withdrawal of all quantity rebates previously allowed, it being their intention to only allow one rebate of 3/ per dozen on any quantity in future. A small consignment of mutton birds, in small casks, has just come to hand, each cask, instead of the usual ( 400 birds, containing approximately 200. Costs are proportionately higher, but they are expected to sell readily, owing to the size being most mutable for the smaller storekeepers. Supplies of flaked rice, macaroni and vermicelli are now again available, after being short over a considerable perie'd. Owing to the uncertainty of future supplies of South African jams, merchants' present offers on remaining stocks should prove interesting to the trade, and storekeepers will probably avail themselves oi the opportunity of replenishing stocks. A special bonus offer is now_ being made en a very well known line of local liquid disinfectant, soap, and ointment, which should prove very popular with storekeepers as this is the first time these special concessions have been allowed. Mildura sultanas and currants recently arrived by the Kurow, and have proved very welcome as several grades, previous to this arrival, were in short supply. A popular brand of English cigarettes has been reintroduced to this market in cork lips, the price remaining as formerly. A brand of southern meats, probably the best known here, is being advanced 1/ per dozen in assorted kinds." American Resin. Cables received' from America a few days ago advised a firm market on both "G" and "N" resin for prompt shipment, quotations being listed at an advance of 10/ per ton, and also showing a rising tende'ncv. Later lists advised an advance of 12/6 per ton for shipment OctoberNovember next. Cocoa Butter. Cocoa butter is showing a weaker tendency, English shippers advising a. reduction cf 2/ per cwt, for prompt shipment. Pineapples. It has been expected for some time that the pineapple market in Singapore must firm, and this week we have to report an advance on most lir. ;. One and a half cubes 2 I A& per dozen, V/z'u sliced, fiats and tails the same, 2's whole remained unchanged, 2y2 ; s slices advanced l%d. and 2's slices P/id per dozen. Practically all wholesale buyers have now finished operating for the next direct steamer, so that any advances oivthis market will not affect the present situation for some little time to come. Second grade also advanced l ] /2d per dozen. Bluestone. One of the largest English manufacturers is now offering a new form of bluestone in an extremely fine granulated powder which is practically dehydrated and of uuaranteed purity of 99 to 100 per cent. It will dissolve much quicker than the crystal finalities, and although it is at. present quoted at an advance of 10/ per ton over that of crystal, it is rapidly replacing all other ty-cs and the works in anticipation of the-heavier demand are aiming to produce in the ratio of 80 per cent snow powder to 20 per cent crystal. Chinese Peanuts. New season's quotations named on * Chinese peanuts recently, although 10/ per ton higher than old season's, arc still considered very attractive, and considerable business is therefore being done for Sep-tember-October shipment. Chinese Walnuts. Cabled quotations recently received on Chinese' walnuts notified an advance of £10 per ton over old season's quotations. Some business has already been done for September-October shipment via Singapore. Ceylon Tea,

At the weekly sale held in Colombo on the 16th instant, another large parcel, amounting to 3,000.0001b of tea was placed under offer. Quality of the Uva and Newara Eliyas grades showed further improvement, but other types.' were unchanged and occasionally inferior. J. he result of the Vale showed a good demand with good and finest qualities occasionally dearer; mediums, strong and others irregular. Commons,declined J4d per lb; Price broken Orange Pokoes remained firm; plain 8.0.P.'s declined Vid per lb; first ,-lasic broken Pekoes .advanced iVid per lb; finest 8.0.P.'s advanced %d'per lb. Exchange was quoted at 1/6 7-32. Pepper. Although speculative offers arc still being made to Singapore shippers, the market is maintaining a generally firm tone, although whether the present high prices will be maintained when the supplies of the new crop commence to come in towards the end of the present month is very li.ard to state just at present. •Just now practically little if any business is being transacted, buyers preferring to hold off in the anticipation that the market will decline considerably from present rates. Nutmegs and Mace. All quotations on both nutmeg* and mare arc remaining'.very, firm, prices on both hncs cable 1 last week showing slight advances over those of the previous week. Tapioca. | All Penang and Singapore quotations have shown considerable fluctuations lately. Ihe sharp advance of last week was of short duration, cables received « tins week notifying a reduction of 4V 2 d per cwt on sago and 6d per cwt on tapioca tor forward shipment direct. ; Desiccated Coconut. The market for all packings of desiccated coconut is unusually firm just at present the general tendency of this market being for higher rates. Latest cables indicate an increase of 6d per cwt,-with prices expected to go higher. . Sicily Almonds. The market for Sicily almonds has remained quite firm lately, with the result that quite a fair amount of business has resulted during the past week.

Smyrna Figs. Late cables advise an advance of 2/ per cwt on some of the Smyrna tit; packings, and from the reports received, it is evident that the market is very firm and prices are expected to go higher. Raisins. New season's bulk Californian raisins have been quoted at an advance of 4/ per cwt above last year's prices, which is a good indication of the tendency of this market. Walnuts. The walnut market is generally firm although some good business has been transacted in offerings of Sorento, on account of quotations being considered attractive on to-day's market. New Zealand grown are very much in demand just at present, this type selling to the retail almost to the exclusion of all others, this beinf accounted for by the freshness of the nut and the thinness of the shells, allowing them to be opened so easily. Stocks, however, are never sufficient to supply the total demand, supplies generally being exhausted in a few months. Californian Muscatels. Cables received a week ago advised a reduction of 1/ per box on Californian muscatels, a further cable received this week notifying a further 9d per box reduction, and the position now is that whilst seeded muscats, new season's raisins, arc at present listed at a substantial increase over last year's figures, muscatels are being offered at almost a parity on last year's prices, which would indicate that they are very good buying. Dates. Prices are expected to be named this week for the first direct steamer shipment of bulk and carton dates. The second direct steamer quotations already listed, remain very firm and are likely to show an advance at any time. London also cables that immediate stocks of Sair dates are exhausted, and that Khadrawi have been advanced 5/ per cwt. Cream of Tartar. A well known line of English cream of tartar lias.just been advised by cable as being advanced £2 per ton. Soft Shell Almonds. Iviza soft shell almonds are listed at slightly easier rates from London, recent cables advising a reduction ox 2/ per cwt. Barcelona Nuts.* A reduction of 1/ per cwt has just been advised on Barcelona nuts, for shipment from London.

Wholesale Current Prices. Butter.—First grade factory, booked, l/dVz per lb, and 1/6 for prompt cash. Second grade factory, booked, 1/4% per lb, and 1/4 per lb for prornpt cash. Farmers' separator, 1/1 per lb. Cheese. —First grade factory, medium size, mild, 9%d to per lb net; loaf, 11%' d per lb net. Chesdale, 61b bars, 1/3 per pound; 7oz packets, 9/6 per dozen. Bacon.—Hams, 1/ per lb; rolled hams, 1/2 per lb; boned hams, 1/3 per lb. Bacon: Sides, Hd per lb; rolled sides, 1/1 per lb; middles, 1/2 per lb; shoulders, B%d per lb; rolled shoulders, 10V£d per lb. Lard, bulk, 9d~ per lb; pate, lOd per lb. Flour.—Local, 2001b sacks, £18 per ton; 100's, £1S 15/ per ton; 50's, £19 5/ per ton; 25's, £20 per ton; 12%'s, £20 17/6 per ton; QVi's, £21 17/6 per ton. Southern: 2001b sacks, £18 per ton; 100's, £18 15/ per ton; 50's, £19 per ton; 25's, £19 10/ person; 12%'s, £20 5/ per ton; VA's, £20 17/6 per ton, all less 2% per cent discount. Linseed.—Whole, 22/ per cwt; ground, 23/ per 1001b. . Malt. —Crushed, 12/ bushel; whole white, 12/ per bushel; whole black, 14/9 per bushel. Twines.—Seaming, 3/9 per lb; binder, 8d per. lb. Peameal. —12/ per 1001b.Linseed Oil Cake Nuts.—ls/ per 1001b. Linseed Meal—l 7/ per 1001b. Bluestone.—3s/ per cwt.