MONEY MARKET.

STOCK EXCHANGE, THIIREDAV AFTERNOON.

The arrival on Monday morning of intelligence from New York to the 19th March, which was confirmatory of the pacific character of the news brought on the 31st by the Britannia, operated favourably on the prices of the English Funds ; and before the opening of business, all parties were eager purchasers, and there were buyers of Consols for Account at 90h. As soon, however, as business commenced, a large sale of stock was made by a leading broker, who has the reputation of being occasionally employed by influential Jewish specu- lators; and this operation completely checked the previous disposition to im- provement. Consols fur Account declined in the course of that day to 8911, and during Tuesday and Wednesday, fluctuated from buyers to sellers at that price, closing yesterday afternoon at 89} L. The intelligence received this morning of the " final settlement" of our dispute with the Celestial Empire has produced another favourable change in the market, and an improvement of I per cent. in the price of Consuls occurred at the commencement of business; the price for Money baying been at 90, and for Account at 90h. There has been but little business doing during the day ; and the closing price, both for Money and Account, is 8911 90. The various Stocks, the dividends upcfn which are in course of payment today, opened for private transfer on Tuesday ; and Money business has been again resumed in them, after an interval of rather more than a month. Batik Stock, which closed at 167 8, was on Tuesday at 170 ex dividend, and is today at 1741 for Account wain dividend, being an improvement of from 6 to 7i per cent. India Shark has in the same interval improved from 247 248 to 251, a rise of from 3!. to 4/. per cent. The improvement in the other descriptions of Stock has been as follows—

Closed at Opened. Reduced Three per Ceuts. 891 t .... 888 1 ex dividend.

Reduced Three-aunt-a-half per Cents... 98 .... 97t

The former has consequently improved about 3 per cent., and the latter about lI per cent. Exchequer Bills have risen Is., and the premium is today quoted at 12s. India Bonds are also at the improved prices of last week, and are today at 2s. premium.

Considerable sensation was created yesterday morning in the Stock Exchange; by the disappearance of the Messrs. W.AurriEr.o, who have become insolvent, and who are reported to have absconded. The business which has hitherto been carried on by this firm, as bankers and brokers, was of the first character ; and among their principals they counted the Equitable Life Office. Their liabilities are variously stated, but it does not appear that they are much indebted to the members of the Stock Exchange; the loss occasioned by their failure being chiefly distributed among those parties for whom they received dividends, and transacted business in the Funds. It may be within tine know- ledge of some of our readers, that it is the custom of the Bunk of England, in order to facilitate business, to allow bankers and agents to sign the books and warrants for the dividends to o days before they are paid to the public. Messrs. WAKEFIELD had thins become possessed on Tuesday of several dividend- warrants that could not be paid before today, and have, it is believed, very generally pledged such warrants as securities for money advanced to them. A legal question will in all i.robability arise between the Bank and a stock-proprietor who employed Messrs. WAKEFIELD as agents. On the news of their insolvency, this gentleman immediately applied to the Bank for his dividends; and upon being informed that it was not due till this day, gave formal notice that he wished to cancel the power of attorney granted to his agents : this was of course done, but on application for his dividend today, be was informed that it bad beon already paid, in consequence of the arrangement just mentioned. It is understood he has commenced proceedings against the Bank for the amount of the dividend ; contending, that as the arrangement under which they gave up the warrant to his agents was one for the private convenience of the Bank itself, he ought not to suffer by it. It should be added, that as the dividend-warrants are all made payable to "bearer," it is not supposed that the Bank will be enabled successfully to resist the payment of them to any holders who may have band fide advanced money on them. As some notion of the estimation in which the senior Mr. WAKEFIELD was held by the members of the Stock Exchange, we may add, that he was the treasurer and joint trus- tee of the fund for the relief of decayed members-n very useful charitable in- stitution and Jams availed himself of the control thus possessed over its funds to appropriate Exchequer Bills to the extent of 4,000/.

The various Foreign Funds have all partaken to some extent of the improve- , went of Consols ; Dutch Two-and-a.half per Cents, having been at 52, a rise

• of per cent. ; Russian are also quoted at 113i; Belgian at 101. The South American and Mexican Stocks were in demand at the beginning of the week, but have since declined ; and though the transactions have not been extensive, the markets generally arc firm, at a reduction of from 1J to 1 per cent. below the highest quotations. The question as to the quotation of the New Portuguese Bonds was brought before the Committee of the Stock Exchange on Monday, and the decision of 'it adjourned to Monday the 3d May ; when it is understood that the question as to whether the quotation shall be admitted or not, will depend upon the -quantity of Bonds converted. The last tub/ices from Lisbon not being favour- able, a decline of more than 1 per cent. has occurred in the prices of the Bonds. The Five per Cents. have been as low as 33, and the Three per Cents. at 194. Bargains in the New Stock, although not officially quoted, have been effected at 2912. 29, and yesterday at 28A. Spanish Active Stock have fluctuated between 23 and 23.1a, and closes today at 23i buyers. The Railway Shares have been in fair demand ; and, after improving con- siderably, have fallen beck to the closing prices of last week. But business generally, in anticipation of the Easter holydays, boa been unimportant.

SATURDAY. TVELLYE O'CLOCK.

There is very little business doing this morning, and the prices of Consols Reduced are the same as on Thursday afternoon. The Three-and-and-a-half per Cent. Stocks have, however, improved A per cent.-Reduced Three-and-a-half per Cents. being quoted at 914. and. ew Three-and-a-half per Cents. at 99. The premium upon Exchequer Bills has improved Is., and is quoted at 10s. to 12s. a remium. India Bonds are 2s. premium. India Stock is quoted at 254, being an improvement of 1 per cent. In the Foreign Market, the business has been quite unimportant, and the current varieties may be quoted at the closing prices of Thursday. The Mexican, South American, Spanish, and Portuguese are, however, heavy at those quotations, and the Northern European Stocks firm, and in demand.

3 per Cent. Consols . . Ditto for Account

3 per C-nt. Reduced. ex div st per Cwt. Ditto

New of per Cents Bork Sook Exchequer Bills ludia Stock Briyilian 5 per Cents.

891 90 894 90 ti91. 9 371 i 941 9 170 1 10 :2 pm. 254

69 70 Belgian 5 per Cents.

Columbian 6 per Cents Danish 3 per Ceuta Dutch 2+ tier Cents Mexican 5 per Cents. Conrad. Portuguese Regency 5 par Cts. Ditto 3 per Cents Russian 5 per Cents ... • Spanish (Active) 101 3 221 78 9 514 24

30

331 194 204 1124 134 23