The market steadily improved, owing chiefly to shorts covering. Receipts at Para are only 2,000 tons up to December 21, which is not as large as was expected, MANCHESTER GooDs, 'A. Manchester report dated December 23 says:—Cloth sellers continue to find an entire lack of enterprise on the of oversea buyers, and it is not anticipated that there will be any improvement till after the turn of the year, when some people expect that pressure to secure needed supplies will bring out 1 little sorting-up buying, especially for China, where it is generally considered that stocks are ronning down and will be in need of replenishment, Buyers cannot reconcile themselves to a belief that cotton is on "sound basis. There is " certain amount of defi for China, bat the limits attached, role, prevent business, and only odd lots filter through. The outlook in in India is generally considered f good, if only confidence in values could be secured. The smaller markets are relatively doing better, and the West Coaat of Africa is spoken of favourably. Spinners find the market a difficult one the demand for shipping bundles shows no change for the better.
M chard Haworth and Co.'s Market Report dated Manchest December 22, contains the followin, The American cotton market continues to fluctuate daily. After declining ten to twelve points, there has been fall recovery, the close last night for current month being two points higher fon the week. The situation is practically unchanged, bat there is a firm undertone, as the crop movement, and alto the official retarn of cotton actually ginned, shows such decided signs of exhaustion, that the smaller crop estimates are pretty generally accepted. The closing price for current month last night was 7.92: middling spot 8.08.
Egyptian continues very erratic—after declining somewhat sharply—on the idea that the adverse crop accounts rated; there has been ince, the prevailing view yield will be very disappointing. "Good" Brown closed last night at 1334.
There is no particularly fresh feature to report regarding the demand for Cloth; snather unsatisfactory week has been experienced, both as regards turnover and prices obtained. It is only considered safe at the moment to buy for pressing requirement and everything points toa large restriction of output. China is giving no support worth mentioning and very few practicable offers are coming through at the moment. India continues to inquire for light cloths, but the bulk of the business offered is at unworkable limits,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.