The Sun.
London, England, 1869-12-08 00:00:00

STATE OF TRADE.

MANCHESTER, Dec. 7.—After the large business
which was done in this market during November,
and the contracts which producers had entered
into, a pause might naturally have been looked
for, even earlier than that which has occurred
during the present week. Spinners had made
so many engagements that they could not
well abstain from buying sufficient cotton
to cover them, and the sustained demand
on the part of the trade gave an im-
petus to the Liverpool market a week
since which threatened to develope itself into
some days of speculative excitement. A very whole-
some check, however, has occurred since last
Thursday. Buyers here had already bought
largely, and were reluctant, under any circum-
stances, to follow up prices higher ; but when it
transpired on Friday that the receipts of cotton
at the American ports, which had previously been
reported to be small, were actually larger than
those of any previous week this season, the ex-
citement in Liverpool collapsed at once.
Buyers not only declined to give the
prices previously demanded by spinners and
manufacturers, but withdrew most of their
former offers, and since Friday last business
has been nearly suspended in this market. Un-
der ordinary circumstances, and at this season
of the year, an immediate decline in the price of
both yarn and cloth would have been the result, but
the business done during November this year has
been unusually large, and has placed producers in a
comparatively independent position. The conse-
quence is that, with an almost universal suspension
of business so far this week, prices have yielded
very little, and some spinners have made no change
in their quotations. Those who would not sell a
week since, and there are always some who decline
to sell for distant delivery, have made some abate-
ment in their quotations to-day, and the few trans-
actions which have occurred have been upon terms
more favourable than buyers could accomplish on
Friday. About id. per lb. has been conceded in
some cases in order to effect sales, but in most
departments quotations remain unaltered. Yarns
for export have been little inquired for to-day,
and the turn of prices has been in favour of buyers.
Low numbers remain on the whole steady, and the
only alteration is that spinners are more willing to
to sell on future delivery, and would willingly go
ou doing so, if buyers were prepared to buy. 16's
to 24's water twist yarns have been rather easier to
buy. Mule yarns are also slightly easier, and the
highest quotations of last week are no longer in-
sisted en. On the whole, however, prices remain
very steady. Last week the continental buyers made
a few purchases, but to-day they have been quite
indisposed to give out further orders. Fine yarns,
both single and twofold, are unchanged since Friday.
The demand for home trade yarns has been small
to-day, but spinners are well engaged and have no
occasion to press sales. In a few instances they
have given way id. to id. per lb. for 32's cop twist,
and at this reduction a few sales were made.
The cloth market has also been dull, and in. somo
instances lid. per piece from the asking price of
last Friday has been conceded. On the whole,
however, manufacturers hold light stocks, and
hare considerable engagements on hand. Quota-
tions of shirtiugs, and also line jacconets and nail's,
may be slightly lower than they were last week, but
in r2ality prices are little alter,d from the rates at
which cloth was then sold. This appli,s to printing
cloths and also to heavy dorn-s•ics, T cloths, and
long cloths.
11 CDDE its FIE LD, Tuesday.—We have had a con-
siderably larger attendance of buyers representing
London and other wholesale houses in our market
to-day, and business in the various departments
has improved accordingly. The goods most in
request have been heavy makes for present use,
and in some cases where the prices of these
goods have been slightly reduced, sales of consi-
derable parcels from stock have been effected.
New goods in fancy trouserings and coatings keep,
however, at very firm prices. Plain goods in medium
qualities and in black doeskins are also very firm
in view of the advancing state of the wool market.
Manufacturers are now delivering their spring
goods, and orders are also being freely received
from the autumn pattern ranges. Plaids and
stripes, with narrower borders than hitherto, are
along with the usual variety
again taking the lead,
of quiet mixtures, hair-lines, and other small,
neutral tints. There has been
neat patterns, in
a steady business doing in the local wool trade
with prices very firm.
through the week,
LEEDS, Tuesday.—The close of the season and
the disagreeable weather concurred to render the
woollen market to-day of a purely nominal charac-
ter. In the Coloured Hall the few buyers who
were moving about evidently operated only by way
of supplying immediate wants, or with the object
of keeping their stock properly assorted. The only
special transactions were those in dark blue tweeds
and heavy goods of the beaver and witney
class. In the White Hall medium goods com-
manded an incidental inquiry, hair-lists being still
transferred to a fair extent. Prices are less firmly
quoted than has lately been the case, many
descriptions of fabrics at present nearly out of sea-
son being decidedly easier to buy. The warehouse
trade of the town is also very quiet, though there
are several London, Manchester, and Scotch buyers
looking about, but apparently more with the object
of picking up jobbish lots than for anything else.
A few orders are now being placed on export ac-
count to Australia and the continent, and, though

'VW .••• •••
Canadian representatives aro still moving about the
district, we do not hear that they have got beyond
the purchase of a few sample parcels of goods.
While the flax and yarn trades continue quiet, the
linen trade shows signs of advance.
MIDDLESBOROUGH, Tuesday.—The attendance
to-day has been good, and a still firmer tone
prevailed in the prices of pig iron. Very few
sellers were present, most of the makers being
heavily committed ahead—some for several
months. Quotations to-day were, No. 1,51 s.
6d. ; No. '2, 50s. ; No. 3,48 s. ; No. 4, 478.
net cash. Makers' stocks for the past month,
together with the warrant stores, show a decrease of
about 7,000 tons. This is rather unexpected, as it
was thought that a slight increase would have taken
place. This state of affairs tends to give greater
firmness to the market. Manufactured iron is in
fair demand. Shipbuilders are well employed, and
report numerous inquiries. Engineers are also
busier. Ironfounders are fairly occupied. It is
expected that a fair demand for rails will spring up
after the turn of the year. The men are DOW agitat-
ing for an advance of wages, but no decision has
yet been come to on the subject.

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