COMMERCIAL AND FINANCIAL

Evening Post, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 71, 23 March 1912, Page 3

COMMERCIAL AND FINANCIAL

BANK OF ENGLAND RETURN. By Telegraph.— Fret* Atioclatton.— Copyright. LONDON, 22nd March. The Bank of England rnhirn issued for week .ended Wednesday, 20th March, is as under: — Issnr Depaitmbkt. Note Issue, £55,310,000 Got. debt £11,015,000 Other securities ... 7,434,000 Gold ... 30,861,000 £55,310.000 £55,310,000 Bakki>-g Depaetkekt. Pi^'priet'rs' Gov. seeuricapital £14,553,001? ties ... £14,255.000 Fubhc tie- Other secuposits ... 24,997,000 rities ... 41,890,000 Other da- Notes ... i. > 7,2j3,000 posits ... 41.C07.000 Cohi ... 1,131,000 Best. 7-dny and othei* bills ... 3,762.000 £84,019,000 £8i,i>19.000 The leading items of the Bank of England return afford the following comparison: — This week. Last week. Last Tear, £ £ i Bullion ... 36.861,000 36,571,000 39,607.000 Reserve... 29,737,000 28,312,000 31.403,000 Note oirn '28.057,000 28.119,000 27,3i57,000 Deposits 66,601,000 67,361,000 67,232,000 Proportion reserve to liabilities 43.13 42.00 46.69 GOVERNMENT SECURITIES. The following are the latest Quotation! for Government securities, with a comparison of those ruling last week:—

* luterobt payable in May tuitl November, f Interest £M*y»ine iv January mid J aly. j Interest ya.yu.blv iv Apiil aud October. THE MONEY MARKET. The Bank ot England discount rate, which had stood at 4 per cent, sinco 22m 1 September, was reduced on Bth .February to 6& per cent., and remains at that ligure. A year ago the rato was 3 por cent. The open market rate of discount for best three mouth bills is unchanged at 3 U-16 per cent. ; a yoar ago it was 2 5-16. Short loans aro unchanged at 3i por cent.; twelve months ago the quotation was 3. Iv Paris tho open market discount rate is 2s od higher at 3£ por cent. (2£ a yoar ago) ; and in Berlin tho quotation is also 2s 6d up at 4a per cent. (3£ a year ago). . GRAIN AND FLOUR 'Wheat. — Market generally firm, buyons having inoro confidence. Thero is good enquiry, and Australian cargoes havo sold at 37s 9d and 38s per quarter of 4801b. Holders aro atkiiig 38s 3d for Victorian sailer January shipment, and 38s 3d has been paid for parcels from three ports afloat. There is small trade in Australian on the spot at 435. ' Flour.— Market firm, at 25s 9d to 26s 3d per sack for Australian patent brands on tho spot and 25s 3d to 25s 6d forward. ' .Oats. — In strong demand. La Plata, March-April shipment, 17s 6d per quarter. COLONIAL AND OTHER PRODUCE. Butter. — Tho butter market is dull. Danish is quoted at 13§s to 138s por cwt. Tho bulk ot tho arrivals from tho colonies aro of secondary quality, and meet with a slow demand at 118s to 122 m, a drop of 2s on tho.wejßk for tho poorer lots. A fow choioest brands aro _ offering, and these sell readily, Australian making 124s to 126s for salted '(tho same as last wock), and unsalted 128s (Is up) ; New Zealand is quoted at 126s to 128s for Baltod (unchanged), and unsalted 130s (Is up). Choose— tTho market is very firm. Now Zealand is quoted at 75s to 75s 6d por cwt (6d to Is dearer). Sugar. — German beet sugar, 88 per cent, not titro, is 5d lower at 14s lOd por cwt; first marks, granulated, 5d lower at 17s Od. BRADFORD TOPS. Business in the Bradford market in stagnant, but prioes continue firm. In tops, futures aro quoted as under: 64's at 25d per lb, super 60' s at 24£ d, common 60's at 24d, 56's at 21d, 50's at 17gd, 46's at 14$ d, and 40's at 13id. These quotations show no alteration from last week. METALS MARKET. To-day's quotations, compared with those ruling a week ago, are as follow : — Bar silver is Jd lower at 26 13-16 por ounce standard. Copper.— -On the snot, 22s 6d higher at £66 por ton; at three months, 22s 6d higher at £66 15s ; electrolytic, 20s 'higher at £68 15s. Tin. — On tho spot, 15s lower at £190 5s per ton; at three months, 10s lower at £187 ss. Lead. — Soft foreign, 6s 3d higher at £16 5s per ton. Spelter. — Down 2s 6d, at £26 5s por ton. Pig-iron. — Middlesbro' No. 3, 9d higher at 51s 6d per ton. SHEEPSKIN SALES. London sheepskin tales aro fixed for 29th March. SILVER. , (Received March 23, 12.30 p.m.) LONDON, 22nd March. Bur silver is quoted at 26 15-16 d per ounce standard.

Price. Varmtioiis compared with last week. 21% Imperial Consols ... l % Hew Soutu Wales ... SJ% Sew South Wales ... S % New South Wales ... i % Victorian o.yfo Victorian 3 % Victorian 31%t?outlx Aubtxaliau 3" %Soutli Aiibtialiiui i %yueeusiiinil iJ%<JUC«UBULud i l / o l,!ut!UUblbUtl ... ... i ifaiNow /.euluud* > 3J ajWuw Zealiiudt ... $ ;b<Nety Zoiiliiudl oi% W ebtrtuuu ... 3 jj>l ebtraiiaai ... i %*raßiiiii,iimn £ s. d. 77 la 0 105 10 0 98 7 b b7 0 l> 101 10 (' 08 lv 0 SI 10 0 97 0 0 85 0 0 10J 10 0 Bti lv 0 !& 0 0 101 0 0 07 0 0 S3 10 0 ttt 10 0 87 0 0 'Jo 0 l> Ua 0 0 7/6 lower Uucliauged 27/6 b«lieiUnchanged L'ucluin^ud LJucliauged Uuuliuiiged Uuchuuged UuchauneU U uoliauged Uucliaujjed UucliiiuyeU Uiicliuiutid U iicliungod Unuliaugud UnOUauged Uuchuuged Uuuhaugod Uuuliuuged