MONEY MARKET.

STOCK EXCHANGE, FRIDAY AFTERNOON.

The books for the Dividends due in April have all closed ; and money business is suspended till the 6th of April, when they will all open for private transfer. The character of the business transacted has been much the same as that noticed last week. The market became rather firmer in the course of yesterday and today : prices have, however flattened again this afternoon ; a report being prevalent of another Ministerial change : the closing quotation of Consols both for Money and Account is 961. Money has become more plentiful, and the rate of interest rather lower ; the rate of tsonunercial discount being from 21 to 3 per cent.

In the Foreign Market, some very large transactions have occurred in the Peruvian and Mexican Stocks ; the former having advanced and the latter having declined upon the arrival of the last West In- dian packet, bringing intelligence from Mexico of the illness and con- sequent retirement of the Finance Minister. This news had a sinis- ter effect upon the value of the Stock, which declined about lf per cent, having fallen to 33 in consequence of the large and influential sales by which a large quantity of Stock was thrown upon the market. A slight improvement has since occurred, and the closing quotation of today is 331 1. Spanish Active Stock is without material change. The markets for the Russian and other Northern European Stocks are slightly firmer, and the tone has improved. An impetus was given to Russian Four-and-a-half per -Cent Stock today, by the failure of a speculator who had sold extensively, and as he was unable to complete his bargains those who had bought of him were compelled to repurchase in the market. The character of the Share Market is precisely the same as that described in our last report. Speculation is still rife ; and upon the settlement of the half-monthly account today, interest at rates varying from 10 to 30 per cent was -given to carry over shares to the end of the month. Several of the minor sort of Shares have risen in a most extraordinary manner, in conse- quence of the failure of speculators for the fall, both in London and Liver- pool, and the necessary exertions of buyers to replace the shares the delivery of which have not been accomplished. The French Shares, with the ex- -oeption of those of the Central of France, (Vierzon,) which have improved, are nearly at our last quotations. Some large business has occurred in those of the Northern, without, however, occasioning any material change in the .quotation. The price is kept down by the large sales made upon every favourable turn of the market by the agents of mercantile houses in Paris.

SATURDAY TWELVE O'CLOCK.

The English Stock Market is heavy in the almost total absence of business, Consols for Money being 961, while for Account the price is 961 1. The .prices of the Foreign Stocks are nominally the same as yesterday ; and the transactions in this department have as yet been unimportant. The Rail- way Share Market continues to be the great attraction, and there seems to be no pause in the onward career of speculation. The following are the principal transactions of the morning—Aberdeen, 19; Caledonian, 17 ; East- ern Counties, 4 ; South-western, 92f ; North British, 111 i ; Midland, 66 ; Lancashire and Yorkshire, 64 ex div.; South-eastern, 281; Namur and Liege, 81.

SATURDAY. Two O'CLOCK. The English Stook Market closes heavily at the opening quotations, the business of the morning having been quite insignificant. The transactions -in the Foreign Funds have been limited to the following bargains, and no material variation in price has occurred—Buenos Ayres, 56; Mexican, 3311; Peruvian, 851; Ditto Deferred, 381i; Russian Four-and-a-half per Cents, "32 ; Ditto Deferred, 121. 97 1 f ; 'Spanish Active, 20 201; Ditto Three per Cents, 381; Venezuela, he operations of the Share Market, though extensive, have been chiefly .confined to the minor class of Shares, in which prices have been well sup- ported, though the quotations generally are not quite so high as those of yesterday. A considerable demand has arisen for Foreign Shares, most of those of the French and Belgian lines having been in demand at higher prices than yesterday. The transactions in this class of Shares have been unusually extensive, as will be seen by the followinlist of bargains—Aber- been, 19 18/ ; Ambergate, Notts, and Boston, 51 6/ 5 6; Bristol and Exeter, ; Caledonian, 17 161 17 ; Chester and Holyhea , 27 51 6/ 51; Eastern

I

Counties, 7/ 8 71 8 ; East Lancaahire, 181 1 18 i 181 ; Edinburgh and Glas- gow, 391 819 ; Great Northern, 18/ 1 1; Great Western, 911 t f ; Ditto New, 171., 14f 15 ; Lancashire and Yorkshire, 641 31 41 ; Ditto Fifths, 51 1; London and Blackwell, 8111 1; London, Brighton, and South Coast, 971 98 ; London and North-western, 1321 ; London and South-western 921 11 91f 91 ; Midland, 661 51 61; Norfolk, 291 91 19; North British, Ill 1 1; Oxford, Worcester, and Wolverhampton, 20 191 1 291; Scottish Midland, 111 ; South-eastern and Dover, 281 81 f ; York, Newcastle, and Berwick, 221 1 1; York and North Midland, 29 .81 f 1 1; Boulogne and .Amiens, 101 91 101 ; Central of France,( Orleans and Vierzon,) 17/ f 18 ; East Indian, 1511 ; Namur and Liege, 81 91 8b; Northern of France 151 1 1; Orleans and Bordeaux, 41; Paris and Orleans, 361; Paris and Strasbourg, 111; Rouen and Havre, 111 1; Tours and Nantes, 51 1 1; West Flanders, 2 2/ ; St. John del Rey, 141; Union of London, 121.

a per Cent Consols 9611 Danish 3 per Cents 78 80 Ditto for Account 961 1 Dutch 21 per Cents

58 9

.3 per Cent Reduced 3} per Cents

shut shut

Ditto 4 per Cents Mexican 5 per Cents 1846 911 92 33 1 Long Annuities shut Peruvian 6 per Cents 85 86 Bank Stock shut Portuguese 4 per Cents 1842. 331 41 Exchequer Bills 53 6 pm. Portuguese 5 per Cents 1824. 89 90

India Stock

shut Russian 5 per Cents 110 112 Brazilian 5 per Cents 92 4 Ditto 41per Cents 971 6 II 'an 41 per Cents 91 3 Spanish (Active) 5 per Cents. 20 4 6 per Cents

105 7

Ditto 3 per Cents 1842 38 I Danish 5 per Cents 100 101 Venezuela 31 3