Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-05-09
FINANCE AND TRADE
Fractional Improvement in the
Speculative List.
WATCHING THE COMPETITOR INCIDENT
Politics Being Discussed With In
creasing Interest.
GENERAL MARKET REPORTS
Special Dispatch to The Evening Star.

Special Dispatch to The Evening Star
NEW YORK, May 9.-The evening up OF
traders contracts resulted in fractional i'm
provement throughout the speculative list
this morning. London prices were about
On parity with our closing, but no sig
nificant trading for foreign account was
reported. Considering the extreme narrow
ress of the market, its action during the
last half Of the week cannot be regarded
as wholly unsatisfactory.
Rallies almost invariably follow a slight
Increase in demand and no evidence of out
side liquidation is apparent In the absence
of surprises, either legislative or diplomatic
the market should gradually improve dur
ing the coming week. While no tangible
surface indications of impending unfavor-
able diplomatic complications exists. GER
tain phases of the Cuban situation can not
be too carefully watched.
A slight mistake in the handling OF the
Competitor incident would in all prob
ability be sufficient to precipitate an I'M
desirable crisis in our relations with Spain.
In well-informed circles the gravity Of ihls
situation has not been lessened by the fact
that attention has been directed elsewhere.
unsettled controversy never being en-
tirely satisfactory from a speculative stand
point
There are evidences Of a determination
on the part of certain influential leaders to
demand from the leading presidential aspi-
rant a positive statement Of his position
on the currency question. Should a sound
money platform be insisted on by the can
didate in advance of the convention, much
of the uneasiness now apparent In financial
circles would be abated.
Politics are discussed with increasing seri-
BUSINESS from day TO day, and values will
continue to reflect the conclusions drawn by
speculative and commercial interests. Some
thing more definite is expected on the ad-
journment prospect during the coming week,
and a movement based on intelligence OF
this character is profitable. There are very
strong reasons for cautious trading in all
departments.
The prospects are favorable to a salts
factory solution of all existing complica-
tionS, but the results are by no means as
sured. The majority of what are generally
regarded ordinary speculative conditions
are satisfactory, and would. in the ah-
sence of extraordinary considerations, JUS
tify substantial additions to values.
The gold outflow during the week is re-
fiected in the bank statement 10y a reduc-
tion of 81. S3o.oO in the legal tender hold
ings of the associated banks. The receipts
from the interior offset to some extent the
less incident to the specie movement.
An increase of more than three millions
in loans is the most encouraging feature Of
the statement, the dizziness Of the stock
market indicating that the demand origin
ated in commercial circles. 1t is impos-
siDle to estimate to what extent gold Will
go out next week, but IL is generally ad-
mtted that shipments will be resumed to
the continent There is no occasion for i'm
mediate concern on this subject, the move
ment being expected is Invested of many Of
its alarming features.