MONEY MARKET.
STOCK EXCHANGE, FRIDAY APTERNOON.
The continued fall in the French Funds during the first days of the week kept our own Stocks down, and excited the hopes of the speculators. On Wednesday and yesterday, prices improved in Paris, and an advance has occurred here. Con- sols have fluctuated since Saturday between 8911 and 86k; closing today at 861 -the price at which they stood on Friday week, when the downward reaction commenced. There is no real change in the market. Stock continues as scarce as ever; the majority of operations for money being purchases, while the large sales are almost entirely of a speculative character. Besides the fall of the Funds, there are other indications of the prevalence of a great degree of alarm in Paris. Among the rest, we may allude to the reported retirement from business of the eminent banking firm of Rothschild. This rumour is entirely unfounded; and is understood to have arisen from the intended voyage of one of the junior members of the firm to the United States. A demand for the precious metals is com- mencing; one of the most certain symptoms of political disquiet. The premium upon gold has been as high as ai per cent, but has since fallen to about 2 per cent. There has, however, been no rise in the rate of exchange upon Paris, as Might otherwise have been expected; principally because there is a very good de- mand for bills upon Paris, to pay (as we are Informed) for considerable cargoes of corn, chiefly oats, which have been recently shipped to this country from France. Should this state of things continue, and any large importation of corn take place, a considerable diminution in the Bank store of bullion may be anticipated. Some attention has been attracted by a large operation which was effected in the Stock Exchange a few days back; where one party gave a premium to have the right of compelling certain others (the takers of the premium) to take a given amount of Consols upon the day previous to that fixed for the settlement of the April Account in 1849, at the price of 80. If on that day the price of Consols should be below 80, the giver of the premium will buy at such reduced price, and his profit will arise from the difference between the price at which he buys them and 80, the price at which he has the right of calling upon the takers of the premium then to buy them of him. If the price should be above 80, nothing more will be done in the matter, the giver of the premium will lose the amount given, and the takers of it will make a corresponding profit. This, in the lan- guage of the market, is called an "option." Proceedings of this nature are of common occurrence, and the present is only remarkable for the length of time to which it extends and the lowness of the price fixed. The amount of Stock in the transaction in question is 800,0001., and the premium per cent. In the Foreign Market, the chief business has been in Mexican Stock, which is from to 1 per cent higher than last week. Portuguese Four per Cent Bonds are also rather firmer; but the slight impulse given to Spanish Stock has not continued. The Dutch and Northern European Bonds are rather firmer; while the transactions in them, though still small, are more extensive than they have been recently.
The Railway Market has been in a more quiet state, and prices have not fluc- tuated so extensively as for the last week or two. The Shares of the principal lines have been well supported; while in the Great Western and Midland a trifling advance is apparent. Those of the minor varieties are nearly the same as last week. Some large business has occurred in North Staffordshire and Caledonian, but without causing any great alteration in the price.
SATURDAY. TWELVE O'CLOCK. The English Funds are firm at yesterday's quotations, with but few transac-
tions. The only change in the Foreign Bonds is in Mexican Stock, which ap- pears to be in demand, and is nominally quoted at 2111 22. The Railway Share Market is firm; the statements of the Great Western and South-western Com- panies have attracted much attention, and occasioned considerable discussion. The following are the chief transactions as yet noticed: Great Western, Half- shares, 18i i; Ditto, Fifths, 184; North-western, 119; North British, 15k; North Stafford, 3 per Cent Consols 861 1 Danish 3 per Cents
62 5 Ditto for Account
861 *
Dutch 21 per Cents 45 6 3 per Cent Reduced 851 * Ditto 4 per Cents 69 70 3* per Cents 851 6 Mexican 5 per Cents 1846... 21* 2 Long Annuities 8 7-16 9-16 New Granada 121 i31 Bank Stock 188 Portuguese 10.4 perCents 1842 231 41 Exchequer Bills 37 43 pram Portuguese Old 1824 68 70 India Stock
Russian 5 per Cents
915 too
Brazilian 5 per Cents 72 4 Spanish (Active) 5 per Cents 11* Belgian 4* per Cents 70 2 Ditto 3 per Cents 1842 231 Buenos Ayres 20 2 Venezuela 14 16 Oilman 6 per Cents 82 5
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