The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-02-20
FINANCIAL NEWS
AND COMMENT
Wall Street Shows Concern
Over the international
Uncertainties.
STOCKS DOWN AT CLOSE

Al the end Of the Stock market ses-
sion yesterday Wall Street was reflect
ing continued concern over the aspect
OF International questions. Tho great
uncertainties Of the impending develop
mcnts In the European VA were obvi.
ousiy tum a. much . factor - they had
been earlier In the week. Their infu-
ence ~ somewhat Augmented By the
considerations derived from Washing.
toms controversies over tho treatment OF
neutral shipping, particularly BY Ger.
many. and by the conjecture that the
President vas finding fresh diplomatic
trouble on his hands as the result Of the
demands which Japan has addressed Ia
China.
There was nothing especially signih-
cant In the eatures or movement OF the
securities market until ate In the day
Bonds kept coming from abroad. bu,
stocks displayed during III forenoon and
early In the afternoon a slight degree OF
hrmnSsS Their steadiness was no,
particularly convincing. however, a. sup.
port seemed to come wholly from shor,
covering induced by the circulation OF
umor calculated TO play on bearisf
tlmidity. Also the retirement OF shor,
contracts was natural on the eve OF the
recess from this noon until Tuesday
morning, sven though the circumstance
OF the time suggest chs probable 40
cunulation Of adverse rather than favor
able news In h .ntorvNi. The Aok d
any selling prcAsurs inspired teAr1st
traders to oovSf. but thore seemed 20 b<
no disposition ON the pArt Of me marked
TO take any real selling.
Total transactions only oNout
10000 shAres and q this fully Q third
was tho trading dDne In the last hour,
Business then was wholly on the sell.
lnG side. and closing prices reached the
lowest average since the elimination
OF the January rise, Tho of the
selling. which was general In it's direc.
ton around the ROOM, were presumably
to be found In the prevailing feeling
OF uneasiness about the European situa.
ton. and this feeling was sccentuated
by the British suspension OF cross-Chan.
mel service after the reported attacks or
merchant vessels. and moro directly
by apprehensions over no stand which
Washington might take in relation e
Japan's treatment Of China.
II was evident that liquidation o,
long stocks, or at least of long con,
tracts, was what carried the market
down toward the close. The protractet
recess Immediately ahead will furnish
some test OF the position OF quoted
values. although tho resporse which tn,
market has been making has been &c
factors Of suspense and uncertainty
rather than anything definitely and tan
gibly bad.
Overnight consideration Of the Ger
IA note 20 Washington was not calcu
lated to change Wall Streets new
attitude OF caution toward events
The note, IN financial opinion. was
none too friendly and Its illogical ant
~unreasoning character afforded no guar
antees that Germany would pursue {
rational course. The foreign ~exchang,
market of tho day seemed 70 giv'
evidence OF n sensitiveness 10 the sam,
matters which were uppermost on th'
Stock Exchange.
Italian remittance displayed fnrthet
weakness and it's movement was nat
uraliy interpreted as showing the ap
proach Of Italy's entrance into the war
other exchange was frm. particula ri,
sterling. although tho market was I'M
settled. The deduction from the fea
lures OF the foreign exchanges was ma
the war menace 20 provided
tho chief immediate influence. and mi
also seemed TO be responsible for IN,
slump in wheat after the May optiol
had sold UP TO s1.s5 a BURIED.