The Thames Star. Resurrexi. THURSDAY, MARCH 24, 1898.

Thames Star, Volume XXX, Issue 9025, 24 March 1898, Page 2

The Thames Star. Resurrexi. THURSDAY, MARCH 24, 1898.

THE MINING MARKET.

Thk London Mining Journal of February sth thus refers to the state of the market at that date:—"The mining market has been greatly depressed during the past week, the volume of business transacted being on an exceedingly small scale. Jobbers

have been awaiting with, what patience they can command a " bull" campaign on the part of the public, but their expectations have met with d greivouß disappointment, and they are still lamenting this pronounced apathy on the part of outsiders. The public have kept aloof with a marked persistence, and, on the whole, they cannot be blamed, for beyond the better class copper shares, they have had little or no encouragement to speculate or invest. Several circumstances or reasons have enjoined prudence and caution, and the attitude taken up by the public of late should show promoters and share manipulators most forcibly that investors are not to be decoyed in the future so easily as has been the case in the past. Though the better class mines on the Hand are doing very well, making large profits and paying big dividends, there is no encouragement gi^en to investors to purchase shares, for the professionals, in anticipation of outside demand, have engineered the prices to high figures, and it is pleasing to see that their unscrupulous manoeuvres have been so signally defeated. On turning to the West Australian market the public have met with no further encouragement, the high prices of the better class shares forbidding investment. Only Indians and copper shares have been attractive, though even here similar drawbacks exist, and it is not to bo wondered at that investors refuse to be loaded with shares at inflated prices. Another influence dictating a cautionary attitude is the uncertain political outlook, and the. fear of a conflict with Russia, and until this disturbing factor is removed we need not expect much activity in , the mining market. '! hen there is the j ' tightening of money, to say nothing of more attractive investments in the Stock Markets, and taking all these; features and circumstances into consideration, we shall not expect to see . any change in the attitude of the public for some time to come." |