The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1908-01-17
sosroN WOOL MARKET DUBBED
.sE!I 8 a WAITING ONE.
BUYERS INTERESTED
large Quantity Of Montana Wool
Changes Observation-Disclosures "a
vor Seller Rather Than Purchaser.
Financial Matters Improve.

1T ID a waiting market. Buyers are
not numerous and there is not the gen
orally active demand from consumers
which is an Indication Of activity,
present or prospective, at the mills.
says the Boston Commercial Bulletin.
Manufacturers act very cautiously and
are set in the policy, adopted since
the financial furry, not to acquire sup
plies Of raw material unless they are
urgently required. They prefer that
dealers and not themselves should
have the burden of supplies. There
Is no present urgent need for wool
and. therefore there are no expecta-
tions Of a revival in the demand for
It till the goods market warrants more
active operations in consuming cen
tiers than at present. The opening OF
the heavyweight goods season has
been delayed and not until this week
has anything Of Importance been done
BY manufacturers in placing their pro
ducts before prospective buyers. But
on Wednesday important lines were
put on view and buyers showed salts
factory interest. So far as prices are
concerned the openings OF the week
show that the upward tendency is
checked. Offerings for the fall of 1908
IRE at prices practically the same as
those Of the opening Of the fall season
two years ago. It is remarked that
..the largest producers r making
prices that are more attractive to the
buyers and they propose to get the
business that is abroad. There Is pro-
badly a hard season ahead for the
smaller mills, but stocks are so well
in hand that there may be trad
enough to go around as the year de-
velops."
Encouraging Features.
II the goods sell at these attractive
prices there should be an immediate
reflection OF a favorable character in
wool. The market needs such a slim
illus. There r many encouraging
features, not the least Of which IL the
complete change in sentiment notice.
able abroad, late cables from Euro
pean centers and from primary mar
kets In Australasia and South Ameri-
ca noting frmer markets, especially
on orossbreds, and more active trad
ing. Buenos Ayres has become active
after sluggish trading aver since the
season In Argentina opened last fall.
New Zealand also Is active and frmer
following depression previously. In
this country financial matters are
steadily improving. There Is, therefore
% confidence In the future Of wool
than has been apparent here for two
months. and It Is believed that bottom
has been touched. There are negotia-
lions In progress which involve con.
sidersble lines, and which It Is anici.
pated will come to q head In the
course Of the next few weeks, or just
\ % soon e. manufacturers I certain
Of their position. The mar..et is Arm
Tor all staple woods an the better
class Of clothing stock supplies 81
which = not large and un1er strong
control. Wool that Is on in condition
and short woods generally r the only
weak spots and on these. 1t Is believed
further concessions are likely
From the high point at which sucl
woods were held last year there hal
been q considerable drop in value, ant
it Is reasonable to expect that NJ fur
ther serious decline will occur in th,
face Of improving tendencies In Eu
rope and the promise Of q better de
mand for cheap woods In this country
On the whole, the developments Q
the week favor the seller Of woo
rather than the buyer.
Ohio and Pennsylvania P eeces.
The market is LET'S active than las
week. Few important sales u mad