The herald., 1898-04-09
Bradstreet,s Report

NEW YORK, April S.-Bradstreet's to-
morrow will say:
goods Is perceptlble In the various trade
reports coming to hand this week. AT the
east the drift of matters affecting our for
eign relations has been such as to dis
courage new business, but this tendency
has been considerably accentuated by un-
timely cold weather. which has checked the
usual Easter demand to considerable
extent. Reports from the west are that
tho heavy rush of spring business is about
over, and that orders coming now are of
filling-in character. Here again reports
of unreasonable weather are met with. A
fairly good business Is reported at the
south, but slight check to our export
trade is reported, growing out OF the rails
ing of insurance rates, consequent on the
disturbed foreign outlook. Frost Is re-
ported to have done considerable damage
to the peach and other fruit crops of the
south, and to early planted tobacco. A
fairly satisfactory trade is represented
at the northwest. Lake navigation is now
open, and the anticipation Is that pros
porous years business will be done.
Cotton goods have moved fairly well,
ginghams especially being in excellent de-
notably print cloths, which have made
new low price record of &c per yard this
week, the situation is as favorable as
could be expected. Wool is dull, rejecting
uncertainty as to future business and un-
satisfactory margins of profit.
The iron trade continues to reap large
volume of business being done, but 1t is
becoming evident that this is chiefly upon
for future work have diminished, alike in
number and volume, particularly in the
east, pending the outcome of foreign COM
plcations
Wheat shipments, including flour. this
week are slightly larger than those of
last week, and considerably In excess of
last year, aggregating 3773,726 bushels for
that period. against s55o,ee4 bushels last
ago, and 1854 900 bushels in 1896
Business failures in the United States
this. week numbered 220 against 226 last
week. 292 in the corresponding week of
FINANCIAL REVIEW
Bradstreets financial review tomorrow
will say:
Speculation has been extremely nervous
and irregular, within narrow lines, on the
critical appearance of our relations with
Spain.. The situation in this respect Keeps
the public out of the market and The specu-
lators have been cautious and quick to
change their positions.
Liquidation has apparently been thor
ougl and complete and stocks are largely
in strong hands, so that the floating supply
Is comparatively small on the other
hand, successive covering movements on
reports of settlement or compromise of the
differences between Spain and the United
States have reduced the short interest,
which was quite large last week. London
has done little here. but our market situ-
alton is watched with close attention, as
indeed by the local public. and the re-
sistance offered to bear selling from time
to time creates the impression that the
latent purchasing power is large and re-
quires only definite development of the
general situation to assert itself with some
force. At the same time, prices during the
latter portion of the week suffered from
the feeling Of suspense caused by the
Withholding of the presidents message on
Cuban affairs, and the tendency of the
market, in spite of rallies on tho short
interest, was to sag irregularly lower. The
feeling of uncertainty about the possible
developments and their effect Is shown
the fact that the usual decision to close
the stock exchange for Good Friday was
rescinded, and the market was in session
today for the first time upon that day in a
generation. No attention has been paid
to developments in regard to railroad earn
ings or other matters of Importance, and
the tendency of prices was Influenced but
little either by the conservatism of lenders
and the high figures at which time money
is held by the decided break in exchange.