Evening star., 1921-12-16
TRADING LIGHTER,
. PRICES IRREGULAR
Oils, SteeIs and High-Grade
Equipments Are the Mar
ket Fav0rites.
BY STUART p. WEST.

NEW YORK, December 16.-Tne
principal difference between the Wall
street market today and that of yes
terday was rather sharp curtailing of
the volume of business. This shows
plainly that yesterdays sudden increase
in activity could not be ascribed to the
entrance of the public upon the scene.
Rather it signified professional opera
tors and pools were redoubling their
efforts. Today these operators were in
clined to proceed more cautiously. There
was. however. no lessening of confidence
displayed in any quarter. The great
part of the list went back into dulness.
and operations for the rise went un,
abated in a large number OF selected
stockc.
news to influence the market either
way Oil shares continued the prime
favorites. but here the movement was
merely reflection of speculative
judgment that the oil trade races d
bright outlook for the new year. ana
that a further advance in prices OF
both crude and refined is likeiy 10
come before 1922 is very far along.
Oils Are Higher.
Oils moved higher. one after another
reaching new prices for 1871. faelIls
Oil for the first time got up 10 anu
beyond the 50 level. Texas company
passed it's former high mark CT ~ -.
Standard Oil of California got through
the Sc figure at last. Mexican Petro-
leum and Pan Americans SOLO eX their
quarterly dividends. but wire hot
adversely affected by TINS circuin-
stance. There is no longer any rbas sarn
about a reaction in oil prices. There
is much difference of opinion. on the
other hand as TO whether or not oil
prices are likely to have 1urthei
rise Some oil men think that quo
tations will be marked up again after
the first of the year; others are non
committal. In the afternoon tne OH
stocks ran into heavy protit-taking
American Sugar.
Heavy selling on American sugar
followed the announcement OF an
other cut in the price OF rehhea
sugar, this time amounting TO J."
cents in the hundred pounds. iniS
fined sugar market. The stocks oil
the Cuban producing concerns were
scarcely affected. They are WaitihE
to see what effect the dissolution OF
the Cuban commission is going 10
have upon the raw sugar market
assuming that the life of the COM
mission is not to be extended beyond
December 81.
Bosch Magnetic.
The automobile accessory STOCKS
got active today and moved forward
rather sharply for time. This ap-
piled more particularly to American
Bosch Magnetic and Stromberg. IN
thu. case of the former company. IL
was made known today that II is se'-
ting larger releases from mahuiac.
turers. Operations are not quite "nat
they should he. but with automobii"
executives looking for a good year III
1922. it is expected that Bosch VIII bt-
gin to reflect this optimism. IL Is
known that important selling orders.
which were in the market Tor Inc
stock, have been Cancelled, and ms
was one of the things which made IL
self felt today.
Market Features.
Call money opened and was re-
pewed into next, week at ) per cent.
hut possible recurrence of the b per
cent of yesterday made traders more
cautious. ,,.,
Selling pressure was directed
against the low-priced equipments
Lima Locomotive, Pressed Steel Car
and Railway SteeA Spring giving way
for point losses.
paper, New York Biscuit, United
Fruit and Western Union were rather
soft Baldwin Locomotive was
steady, with Harvester and FAMOUS
PLAYERS strong. United Drug ana
Woolworth closed higher.