Inquiry for Manchester piece goods during the week has been conspicuous by its absence, while a fair business is reported as being done in Japanese makes. During the past few weeks, "however, speculators and dealers have fairly freely purchased Manchester goods and until their stocks are reas ably liquidated a period of quietness must be expected. The situa-fon is disappointing, nevertheless, with a slow rise in local prices, and a steady demand, importers were " hoping the—market gradually would improve with inquiry and. prices permitting of replacements. Dealers' recent purchases, although paid for, in many instances. still remain in_ shipping, companies' godowns, as space for their transportation cannot be had on the few vessels that are operating, Tientsin. and Tsingtao at the moment are doing practically nothing, Although the modification of the foreign banks' attitude towards ance native bank orders permitted the resumption of the regular weekly piece goods auctions, bidding was poor and prices showed a drop of about half a tael all round.
Various reasons are advanced for this. stagnant state that the local market now shows; the lifting of the Japanese boycott enables dealers puretinse: cheaper goods than Manchester can place on the market, at the monient, the comparatively sharp rise in prices may have embarrassed up-country dealers, and speculators having made fairly large cheap purchases now do not, requite further goods and are naturally looking to lowering the market again,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.