'Piece goods have been generally featureless market during the week, and' most lines, while steady, sare still under replacement costs, no bulk demand being in evidence 10 beaute any rise in the: price. level, Local values for Lawns and Spring Fancies are slightly easier than at opening of the season, and Molders seem inclined to take the aisk of moving stocks rather than shave to carry them over. Owing to the war news the Yangtze markets have reduced their orders, which are seonfined to bare necessities. Ningpo, however, has shown some demand dor Greys, while a somewhat interesting position seems to have occurred in White Shirtings. So far the auctions were concerned orders from Korea for Whites were singularly absent, but privately Korean merchants showed an anxiety to buy. Apparently they are short vot particular cloths, and" were endeavouring to obtain substitutes dier them, An inquiry is being made from the north for a particular Kind seloth—a sort of cotton drill, not altogether Khaki, for soldiers? uni forms With reference to Japanese piece Bods, itis learned that while these sare moving more rapidly into a certain extent, as the impression seems to be general that the commodity had declined too much. In consequence many mills and professional operators have been buying.
Chinese cotton is considerably' firmer owing to strength in America, which is nearly 100 points higher on the week, 3 Deliveries from the mills have not been very brisk, and there has been very little in the way of new, Dusiness, The local exchange was closed yesterday and will remain go to-day, as all brokers and others connected with the exchange, to the number of 300.persons, have gone for a holi day to Hangchow, In their weekly report Messrs. J. Spunt & Ca. state:—China Cotton—The continued Somnolent state in the yarn situa-may be said to account to a fair extent for the inactivity which prevailed in our cotton market during the past week, although prices jon the local staple were in no way affected but remain at the close steady with a tendency to firmness upon any manifestation of demand for spot deliveries. The general rent for the moment, in the not decidedly bullish for the immediate future is strong in the belief that any depreciation that may be experienced will be only temporary, having in view the euro vent firmness in American and Indian markets, coupled with the ever downward trend in the rates of exchange which will naturally enhanthe value of the imported cotton.
However, the latest reports from up-river ports indicate that the receipts from the interior—showed some increase in quantities when compared with that of a few weeks ago, but the holders are still uetant to dispose of their stocks at any cheaper rates, taking advan-of business has been reported locally, during the past week, Local markets are, generally speaking, steady.
Business in dried egg products should be active at this time of the year, but buyers are showing Teluctance in securing their requirements, presumably owing to the of future tariff rates in the United States.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.