TRADE IMPROVEMENT

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22615, 31 December 1936, Page 5

TRADE IMPROVEMENT

OPTIMISM IN BRITAIN INDICATIONS FOR NEW YEAR EXPANSION FORESHADOWED British Wireless RUGBY, Drr. 20 A further drop in the unemployment figures in the new year is forecast by leading industrialists and business organisations, and a considerable expansion in trade in the coming months is anticipated. Optimism is high in the coal, iron and steel industries generally. The Karl of Dudley, chairman of the British Iron and Steel Federation, expresses the opinion that trade prospects have not been brighter since the GrcaL War. The general improvement in the staple trades and tho resultant incrcase in the spending power of the public will, it is believed, affect nil branches of trade. In addition, the reopening of certain overseas markets lor coal and other commodities has made the outlook in South Wales and other coalfields jnore hopeful than, for many years. POST-HOLIDAY ACTIVITY COMMODITY PRICKS BISK LONDON, Drr. 20 Leading commodities bad a flying start on the London markets after the holidays. Rubber touched 11 3-10 d a lb., tho demand coming chiefly from New York and the Far Fast. Big speculative positions are undoubtedly building up in wheat futures, and the eliiel non-ierrous metals also advanced, copper crossing £49 a ton for the first time since 1930. The stocks and shares associated with these commodities also advanced, though a little more cautiously. Load and tin are also dearer. There are reports of large German purchases of Canadian wheat, which contributed to the advance in futures.

FIRM METAL MARKET COPPER APPROACHES £SO TIN QUOTATION HIGHER LONDON, Dec. 29 Following are to-day's quotations on the London metal market compared with those of December 2% Drc. 29 Dec. 28 Per ton Per ton £ s (I £ s d Copper, Rtan., spo{ 40 4 4% 4S 15 7% Copper, stan., 3 rnos. 1!) u 4'/ 2 19 1 iny a Copper, electrolytic 53 15 0 * 53 0 0 to to 51 5 0 51 0 0 Copper, elect., wire bars . . . . 54 5 0 51 0 0 Lead, soft, spot . . 28 13 n 28 3 ft Lead, soft, forward 28 12 0 28 3 f) Spelter, spot . . 20 O 0 19 0 0 Spelter, forward . . 20 0 0 1!) 0 0 Tin, stan., spot . . 235 12 (} 233 15 0 Tin, stan., 3 mos. 230 2 6 233 17 0

GOLD AND SILVER QUOTATIONS IN LONDON LONDON, Dec. 29 Fine gold is quoted to-day at £7 Is Id an oz., compared with £7 Is 6-Jd yesterday. Silver is quoted at 21} d an oz. spot and 21 id forward, compared with 21 Jd and 21 1-1 Gel yesterday. The quotation for silver at per fine oz. is 22 15-lGd. same as yesterday. BRITISH EXCHEQUER LATEST WEEKLY RETURNS (Received December ,30, 6.5 p.m.) British Wireless RUGBY, Dec. 20 The latest weekly Exchequer returns show that the total ordinary revenue amounts to £434,047,000, compared with £430,701.367 at the corresponding date a year ago. The yield from stamps at £18.360,000 against £15,540,000 for the same period of the last financial year reflects greater business activity/ particularly in the stock markets.

Lhe total ordinary expenditure , £ ;, J(}-087,033, compared with £543,907,332 at the corresponding date in 1935.

SHIPBUILDING REVIVAL YARD FACILITIES STRAINED The suddenness of the shipbuilding revival was creating serious difficulties in several directions, Sir Alexander M. Kennedy, chairman and managingdirector of Fail-field Shipbuilding and Engineering Company, staled at Glasgow when presiding at the annual meeting. After remarking that tho present position of the industry gave cause for a. measure of gratification, Sir Alexander added that the outlook for tho next few years was encouraging. Rather unexpectedly the flow of orders had coino with a rush. The revival in shipbuilding was due, lie continued, to the renewed confidence of tho shipowners in the future of shipping, as shown by tho activities of the home markets and the placing of many contracts for new vessels, assisted by the decision of tho National Government to restore the Navy to its former high standard of efficiency. They had known times when tho difficulty was to get orders for ships; now the difficulty was to get workmen to build them and also to obtain reasonable delivery of materials.

MINING SHARES IN LONDON LONDON, Dec. 20 On the mining market to-day Mount Lycll sold at 32s 2id, and New Guinea Gold at 4s 6Jd. BRITISH WAR LOAN British Wireless RUGBY, Dec. 20 War loan, 3.J per cent, is quoted today at £lO5 8s 9d, compared with £lO5 7s 6d yesterday. CALL AND DIVIDEND LIST Dividends— Duo Morris lledstrom—int., 2'/j p.c. To-da.v British Tobacco —quarterly, 2 p.c. To-day Zinc Corporation-—half-yearly, prcf., 2s a share; pref and ord. (partic.), 2s Oil a share Jan. 2 National Bank N.Z.—lnt., 2 p.c. (sterling) . . . . Jan. r> Howard Smith—pref., quarterly, 0 p.c-. p.a. . . . . Jan. 0 G. J. Coles quarterly, 1s a share .. Jan. 15 Woohvorths, Ltd. ord, quarterly, 2 p.c. . . Jan. 15 Komata Kecfs int., 3d a share Jan. 10 Vic. Nyanza— 3 p.c. p.a. . Jan. 27 British Tobacco —ord., special bonus, Od a share . . . Jan. 20 CallsDominion Breweries —new. 2s Od a share . . To-day Wellington Alluvials—con., second, 3d a share .. .. Feb. 24