Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-12-31
STOCKS ARE ACTIVI
BROKERS ALSO ACTIVE IN TuE,I
HOLIDAY FRoLICKING.
PREVAILING SENTIMENT BULLlSh.
Bnpkers believe, However, That
There May he "a Recurrence oil
Money Stiffness in Janunry-The
Produce Markets.

NEW YORK, December 30-The trans
actions on the stock Exchange to-day
were more or less interrupted by the
holiday frolIcs OF the brokers on the fioor,
but there was sufficient trading in even
ing up accounts for the close of the year
to make quite an active market, and some
irregularity in prices.
The Baltimore and Ohio stocks, after
their upward leap Of yesterday, were con-
spicuously affected. the common falling
back nearly IL and the preferred over
a point The most active of the special
ties. including Sugar. the tobaccos, ana
the New York city traction stocks We're
also inclined to react. although the I'M
dertOne was strong. and there was a us
position to hold stocks for the eNpecteu
demand after the first OF the year.
The expectation Of this demand Is passed
on the sudden relapse IN the money rates
at all leading financial centres, the i.oii-
don discOunt-rate falling below lhe pdHk
rate to-day. and the Berlin rate snow ihg
"A further decline. This gives ground ioI
hope that the export movement or goiu
will be brought TO q stop. 1t is possible,
however. that the relaxation in forelsh
money rates may be based on expecta-
tons of further supplies of gold from
this country. That being the case, bank
ers believe that there may be recur-
renee of money stiffness in January.
SENTIMENT BULLISH.
The DAYS trading demonstrated that
the level of prices still offers inducements
for Investment buying. The sales of small
lots OF less than 100 shares continued
and was even more conspicuous than on
recent DAYS All grades of stocks were
embraced in this demand. down to the
non-paying dividend stocks, with only
remote prospects of return. The prevail
ing sentiment on the Exchange was de-
qidedly bulliSh.
Prices of gilt-edge investment bonds
were not much affected I'm last weeks IL
quidation, but the junior grade or newly
issued, or contingent interest-payihg
bonds. which suffered last week, have
been In good demand this week. United
States AS, old As. and new IS declined IL
i'm the bid price.
The total sales of stocks to-day were
3l3.7O0. including the following: Atchison,
preferred, Il, 46G; Baltimore and ONO, 6e5O
Chesapeake and Ohio, 1856; Lake Erie
and Western, $3.50; Louisville and Nash
vile $3.50; Manhattan. $40; Reading
first preferred. 600; Southern PacihcL H.
go; Union Pacific. 1880; American Steel
and Wire. 1850: Brooklyn Rapid Transit,
$780, Federal Steel, 1875; Leather, pOso;
Sugar 1918; Gas, GOO: Mall. 1885.
MONEY AND EXCHANGE.
Money on call steady at 6d7 per cent;
last loan at 8 per cent; prime mercantile
paper, 8 per cent.
Sterling exchange firm, with actual bus
mess i'm bankers bills at SiSIAuAH1s Tor
demand, and at siH4d$4S2 for sixty days;
posted rates, SlS2ianA8 and $iSSls; COM
mercial bills AS0hGS4S%.
silver certificates. 5SIaG59ia. Bar silver,
59is. Mexican dollars. Az.
State bonds inactive. Railroad bonds
strong Government bonds irregular
BANK STATEMENT.
The weekly bank statement shows the
following changes:
Surplus reserve increase, $4,000.
Loans, increase $S73J0O.
Specie, decrease, $f66.2O0.
Legal tenders, Increase, I,l63,oo.
Deposits. decrease, $3is,S0O.
Circulation, increase, $i5.S00
The banks now hold N116S.O74 in excess
Of the legal requirements.