2 JULY 1932, Page 34

Financial Notes

HOME RAILWAYS HEAVY.

THE stock markets have displayed an uncertain tendency during the past week. There has been an underlying,note of hopefulness with regard to the outcome of the Lausanne Conference, but at the same time markets have become a little weary at the delays in reaching decisions, and it has been most difficult to tell whether President Hoover's message con- cerning disarmament has or has not been of assistance to the Lausanne Conference. On the whole high-class investment stocks have been well maintained, a good feature among Home securities has been the rally in Shipping shares, a rally helped during the last few days by the success which appears to have attended the important test of the Cunard Steamship Company with regard to the mixture of coal and oil for fuel. On the other hand, foreign Government stocks, which are regarded somewhat as a barometer of Lausanne and Geneva, have been somewhat dull, and there has been continued weakness in Wall Street, with consequent dullness in Transatlantic shares.

* * *