The St. Louis Republic., 1900-12-28
ATIRESOME Day
FEW CHANGES IN PRICE.
GRAIN MARKETS WERE DULL
AND SLOW.
Corn Held Up Much Better Than
Wheat, but Neither Were Much
Changed in Price.

yesterday was as much like that of tho
day before in its main features as two
peas, and had about as many redeeminS
features. The most conspicuous feature. as
on that day. was the extreme dullness pre-
vailing IN all the markets. collectively and
individually all through the session. but
especially early. when the trading pit was
actually deserted at times. In consequence
Of this duilness the movement OF prices was
Of the narrowest description and came only
at very long Intervals. there being long
spells when they remained stationary and
moved neither VI nor down. There were no
changes OF Importance in the general specu-
laSive situation until well after the hour of
noon, when tracing picked up slightly and
n somewhat better feeling was shown. par
ticularly by corn. which moved up a frac-
tion or two. Wheat. on the other hand. was
not affected materially, and at the close
showed no change at all I'm value from the
closing OF the day before. There seemed to
he even less interest taken in wheat than
w1s the case rEe day before. a condition
due TO the fact that the Government figures
giving the total yield would he made pub
10 after the regular session, and the trade
was averse 10 assuming new l.a abilities The
guosses as to what the figures would he
ranged all the way from 5l5.oeo 90, TO 55'.
bearish. and the result of this was that al
the outset there was more wheat for sale
than could be found use for. The early loss.
however. was only isc, the May option
opening at 1o1ec and selling shortly after at
i2&c. There was nothing especially bear
ish about the crop movement. excepting at
Chicago. where IL was heavy. The receipts
at primary markets Were comparatively
light. the postirgs showing a. 900 bu.. as
against ile.ep hu. week ago and 5000
IIy 10
ly, as against $500 bU. week ago The
Cincinnati Price Current also spoke of a
falling off in country marketinss. and also
said thai the growing-wheat outlook was
unchanged. English cables. after their four
days of idleness. reported quiet markets at
Liverpool and London, with the latter only
ness and declines the day before. appeared
TO be in a semipanicky condition, and
opened 1Ac lower.
Pit operations were extremely thin during
the forepart OF the session. and May final
ly sagged down 10 as low as 12i4d2sc, and
between that and 12Ssc. The late cable
brought nothing consoing TO the bulls. Ant
werp was reported unchanged from last
Fridays close. Paris was lc lower. Berlin
was off Sc. Buda-Pesth 1Ssc and Liverpool
10 lower. The export clearances from the
seaboard were only 19S.0oo bu.. making the
total for the week $4,000 bu.. as com
pared with 2s92.v00 bu. last week Specula-
ton continued quiet, but the ma rket new
ertheless. improved some. and on a few
buying orders May went up To 12i2c. Other
options were neglected Dec. being offered
at 1OAsc. without takers, and Jan. was quot
ed at .0c bid and 1lc asked. Bradstreet's
ngures had no apparent influence upon the
market. though they We're more bearish
than bullish, the worlds visible decreasing
out IS,co bu., as compared with a decrease
or $500 bu- year ago. while the increase
east of the Rockies was reported at $1,000
ou.. indicating an increase outside of the
regular visible. of $4,000 bu. There was a
10 hIry-f ~
the session. which held the market about
steady, but ii was not sufficient to advance
values any. i2i&aSsc being paid for May.
which closed the same as The day before =,
iH2c buyers. Jan. closed 1.c lower for tho
DAY at anec bid and Dec. unchanged at
Nigc asked
There was good. firm undertone 70 corn
througout the day and some slight improve
ment took place in values. The early
ceipts together with the comparatively
small shipments had no apparent effect up-
on this grain. Speculation was somewhat
Qdlet. but there was SO little for sale around
the opening that IT was no time before il
was absorbed. and May. after selling at
&,sc. had Solsai4c bid shortly after The
postings showed that the arrivals at pri-
mary markets were 1,G14.9o bu.. against
.sl.e2 bu. year ago, including 12sG9o tu.
locally: against o, 200 bu. last year. while
shipments were only 3l2 800 bushels The
Cincinnati Price Current had a besrish
statement regarding the crop movement
and foreign markets were dull and unfavor-
able Exporters also said that there was
no show tor business with foreigners as
they were about loaded up for the present.
but clearances for the day were liberal at
80, goo bu: making the total so far for the
week 3,1Sl. 900 bu.. against 4,Ss7.c00 bu last
week Bradstreets figures on the visible
supply was bearish, they showing l,62i.No
bu. increase last week. where the regular
visible decreased $4,000 bu.. indicating q
lS.Go bu. increase at points outside the
visible The market did not lose any of
ITS strength on account of the above and
May. after being bid S5lsMI.c without a sell
Ter. finally sold AT 352sG &c, which was an
advance Of ita9sc for the day. and at which
II closed sellers. New York late reported
80 loads worked for export. There was
nothing done in Dec. or JAN. which closed
sc off for the first at 3i2sc asked. but that
much better for the last at 3iI.c asked.
The speculative market for oats was firm
out as usual, very quiet the only trade
made during the day being In May. which
brought 2ii9c at which ii closed. Dec was
unchanged at 23isc nominal. According 10
Bradstreet's there was decrease in the
available of $50 ESQ bu.. where the regular
visible decreased 63l.oo0 bu. The primary
receipts were reported at 600 bu.. against
80, 600 bu. one year ago, including 39, 600 bu
locally, against 300oJ bu. last year Shin
ments were $4,000 bu.
On the CurbaWheat easy: May offered
at 7elzc; puts. 72i4c: calls. 525ia7sc to 727sc
Puts on May corn, 35i4c.
Traders Gossip.
Minneapolis says that while 90 per cent of the
receipts there since Aug. / are claimed TO have
been winter wheat. the official returns show
only about an eighth was winter wheat Sforks
creasing for several weeks The statement that
.5 per cent of the country eyators Will be
closed down Jan. l is denied.
Recent sdvices from Australia say that tie
south Australian wheat crop will be about Ie.-