GOOD TRADE FIGURES.
But for the effect of the disturbed European situation, it is probable that home securities, and especially Home Industrial shares, would have been favourably affected during the week by the satisfactory Trade Returns for the month of August: While Imports showed a moderate decline compared with August last year, Exports advanced by no less than 18,677,000, and as a consequence the excess of Imports over Exports fell by about 14,500,000 to just over £20,000,000. For the first eight months of this year the adverse balance as compared with a year ago has dropped by over £23,000,000. Not the least encouraging item in the Returns was the statement show- ing that Shipping was giving signs of holding its own, for during the month of August 2,243 British ships entered British ports with cargoes, being an increase of 42 vessels over August last year, while the number of foreign vessels declined by 185 at 2,499. Of the ships cleared with cargoes, 2,639 were British, an increase of 78, while foreign ships were 19 fewer at 1,982.
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