COMMERCIAL AND FINANCIAL.

Evening Post, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 135, 4 December 1909, Page 4

COMMERCIAL AND FINANCIAL.

BANK OF ENGLAND RETURN. By Telegraph.— Press Aawolilion.— Copyright. LONDON, 3rd December. The Bank of England return issued for the week ended Wednesday, Ist December, is as under: — Issue Depaiitment. Note issue £53,484,000 Gov. debt £11,015,000 Other seenrities ... 7.434..000 Gold ... 35,035,000 £53,48-1,000 £53,481,000 Banking Department. Pr'priet'rs 1 Gov. secui'icapitnl £14,553,000 ties ... £14,413.000 Public de- Other soposits ... 5,323,000 curitieß... 23,503,000 Other de. Notes ... 24,519,000 posits ... 40,686,000 Coin ... 1,257,000 Best, 7-day aud other biHs ... 3,130,000 £63,602,000 £63,692,000 The leading items of the Bank of England return afford tho following comparison: — This week. Last week. Last year. £ £ £ Bullion ... 35,035,000 35,240,000 33,027,000 Eeserve... 25,776,000 26,502,000 24,086,000 Note oir'n 28,965,000 28,494,000 28,985.000 Deposits 46,009,000 47,350,000. 49,628,000 Proportion reserve to' liabilities 55.99 55.93 48.50 GOVERNMENT SECURITIES. The following are tha latest quotations for Government securities, with a comparison of those ruling last week: —

THE MONEY MARKET. The Bank of England discount rate remains at 5 per cent. Best three months' bills are discounted in the open market at 31 per cont., the same as last week, but short loans are i easier, 4 per cent. The open market discount rate in Paris is unohanged, at 2| per cent., and the Berlin rate is i easier, at 44 per cent. WHEAT AND FLOUR. Wheat. — Tho market is quiet. Sellers are firm in their demands, and exporting countries are not offering freely, except Russia; but buyers are inactive in the faoe of favourable crop reports from Argentine, Australia, and India, and the continued large shipments from various countries. A South Australian wheat (November) shipnfent is offering at 41s per quarter. Steamer parcels, Decem-ber-January shipment, are quoted at 39s 3d, and January-February shipment at 395. Cargoes by sailer, DecemberJanuary shipment, are offered at 38s 3d, and January-February-March at 38s. Australian wheat on the spot is in small compass, and is held - for 43s 6d to 44s per quarter. New Zealand stocks are almost exhausted, and aro quoted at 39s to 39s 6d.. Flour. — Spot prices are nominally unchanged, at 31s ncr saok, while 26s 6d to 27s is asked for Australian patent brands, January-February shipment. BARLEY AND OATS. • (Received December 4, 9 a.m.) LONDON, 3rd December. Barley is in small supply. Chevalier sold at 30s to 34s 6d. Oats. — Drill Gartons, 20s to 22s 6d ; sparrowbills, 19s 6d to 20s 9d ; La Plata?. January-February shipment, 14s 3d 1 . BUTTER. Tho market is easier owing to large arrivals and prospective heavy supplies, but thero is a steady demand for ohojeeßt colonial makes, whioh aro olearing well. Australian salted /is quoted at 112s per cwt; unsalted 114s; secondaries, 104s to 108s; choicest New Zealand, 116s; Danish, 124s to 1265. All stored lots of Australian and New Zealand butter are practically cleared out. Cheese. — Market steady. New Zealand 1 , 565. SUGAR. 'The market continues firm. German beet (88deg.) is quoted at 12s 9d per owt, or 2d higher on tho week. First marks granulated, f.o.b. Hamburg, are Id dearer at 14s Bd. BRADFORD TOPS. The Bradford wool market ie dull, and prices remain unchanged. Tops on spot: 64's are quoted at 27;jd, super 60's at 261 d, common 60's at 25§d, 46's at 16id, and 40's at 13|d. sFutures : 64's, 26|d; supor 60's, 25|d; common 60's, 24|d. METALS. Pig-iron is 9d lower on the week, at 50s 3d per ton. Spelter is 5s down,^ at £25. Copper. — Supplies, 38,644 tons; deliveries, 32,208; stooks, 105,743; afloat, 5050. Tin.— Stocks, 20,851; on spot, 1915: afloat, 41,199; deliveries, 2457. (Received Deoamber 4, 8.5 a.m.) LONDON, 3rd December. Copper.— On spot, £58 ss ; three months, £59 7s 6d; electrolytio, £61. Tin.— On spot, £143 17s 6d ; three months, £145 12s 6d. ' Load', £12 17 3 6d.

Price. Variations compared with last week. li% Imperial Consols I % New South Wales ... 5£% Hew Sonth "Wales ... i % New South Wales ... t % Victorian f£% "Victorian ! % Victorian 14% South Australian t % South Australian ... t % Qneensland •ift Queensland I % Queensland L % New Zealand* i£% New Zealandf t % New Zealand! !,i% Westralmn ' 1 % Westmhau fy% Tasnuuiian t Tasniauiau £ a. d. 82 12 G 106 17 G OS 15 0 86 0 0 102 0 0 96 17 6 84 15 0 98 5 0 84 10 0 102 10 0 96 17 6 84 2 6 105 10 0 97 10 0 aB6 0 C 93 12 0 bS 0 0 Oli 10 0 87 12 C 2/6 higher 22/6 lower 5/- higher 10/- hitflier GO/- lower 32/6 lower 25/- lower Unchauged Unchanged 30/- lower 32/ ii lower 37/6 lower IU/- higher 30/- lower 5/- lower 7/C higher Unchauged 22/6 lower U nchuuged * Interest payable in M t Interest payable in Jt jlnterestj Interest payable in A] a.— Ex-dividend, £81 It! [ay and No imt&ry and laril and Oi is6d. .vember. Uuly. ctober.