COMMERCIAL & FINANCIAL

Evening Post, Volume XCIV, Issue 48, 25 August 1917, Page 6

COMMERCIAL & FINANCIAL

(HNITHB PRESS ASSOCIATION.—MHIMIt.) (AHSTIUUAN-NSW ZBAI.ANB CABLE ASSBOUTIiN.) BANK AND STOCK EXCHANGE REPORTS.

BANK OF ENGLAND RETURN.

LONDON, 23rd August ■ The Bank of England return issued for the week ending Wednesday, 22nd August, compared with last week in parentheses is as follows:—

,■■ Bullion, £51,633,000 (£51,087,000); reserve, £1)2,669,000 (£32,041,000); note circulation, £;!9,934,000 (£40,045,000); deposits, £171,1)45,000 (£172,459,000); proportion .of reserve to liabilities, 19 (18.59). MONEY MARKET. Bank rate remains unchanged at 5 per cent., and short loans and three months bills are also unchanged at 4| per cent, und 4} per cent, respectively. : CONSOLS AND AUSTRALIAN STOCKS. Current quotations for Consols and Australasian Government stocks, compared with thoss of last:week in parentheses are:— -

2J per cent. Imperial Consols, £56 2s 6d (£56); '5 per cent. Imperial War Loan, £94 10s .(£B4 ss);'4J per cent. Imperial War Loan, £04 10s (£54 ss); 3J per cent. Imperial War Loan, £87 10s (£B7 7s 6d); 4 per cent. New Zealand, £86 5s (£B6 15s); 3J per cent. New Zealand, €73 7s 6d (£7S 12s 6d); 3 per cent. New Zealand, £6-1 (£64 10s); 4 per cent. New South Wales, £82 17s (id (£B2 17s 6d); 3} per cent. New South Wales. £97 12s 6d (£37 12s 6d), 3} per cent. New South Wales. 1930-50, £70 7s 6d (£7O 7s'Cd), 3 per cent.'New South Wales, £70 5s- (£7O 10s); 4 per cent. Victoria, £95 10s (£95 10s); 3S per cent. Victoria, £84 10s (£B4 103); 3J per cent. Victoria, 1929-49, £71 10s (£7l 10s); 3 per cent. Victoria, £62 15s (£O2 15s); 31 per cent. South Australia, £72 (£72 ss); 3 per cent. South Australia. £57 10s (£57); 4 per cent. Queensland, £90 "s Od (£9O 17s 6d); SJ- per cent. Queensland. £87 (£BB 15s); 3 per cent. Queensland, £62 (£62 ss); 3$ per cent. West Australia, £74 (£74); 3 per cent. West Australia, £(ji) 10s (£O3 ss); Si per cent. Tasmania, £73 15s (£72 10s); 3 per cent. Tasmania, £65 (£65).

RAIN SPOILS CROPS.

LONDON,: 23rd August. Excessive rain has beaten' down the corn in many parts of England; seriously affecting the harvest prospects. • In wheat and flour only limited business is being dove The onts\market is firm and quiet. Peas and beans ure steady, but inactive.

Sugar prices are unchanged. Butter is-scarce. Australian and New Zeaalnd butterhas been cleared till new arrivals are available. Quotations are nominal at the maxima. Danish is quoted at Manchester at 300s per cwt.

CHKISTCHURCH MARKETS.

CHRISTCHJRCH, 24th August.

There are no changes to note in the grain market. Chaff continues in good demand for the North Island, and a fair quantity is coming forward. The price paid is still £4 5s to £4 10s at country stations. The potato market is firmer, and ■■uycrs are ow offering £2 12s Bd to ;S2 16s, 1 most of the business being done at the latter figure at near stations. All centres of the North Island are receiving potatoes from the South, owing to the crops having been poor this last season. The new season's crop is likely to be late owing to the unusually wet winter "and spring preventing planting being done, and the North Island will probably require southern supplies up to the middle of December. Very little business has'been .done by Southland this year in supplying outside markets, but there now appears a disposition to s .11, ami some business has been done at £3 5s on trucks.