MONEY MARKET.

STOCK EXCHANGE, FRIDAY AFTERNOON.

The English Funds became much firmer at the commencement of the week; and up to yesterday afternoon the tendency to rise prevailed. One or two large speculative sales then occurred, which depressed the market to nearly the whole extent of the recent improvement, and Consols for Account fell from 971 f to 97. These sales gave importance to a prevailing rumour that an Order in Council would be issued authorizing the free admission of foreign grain; and it was pretty generally credited both yesterday and today that some measure of the kind would be immediately adopted. The downward effect of the operations and reports just noticed has not continued; and the closing prices of the English Funds are rather in advance of those of yesterday. Exchequer Bills are declining, and have been as low as 37 premium. No especial reason can be assigned for this depression; money being very abundant, and the rate of discount varying from 2f to 3 per cent,—unless one be found in the demand for capital occasioned by Railway speculations, and the high interest given for loans upon Scrip and Shares. In the Foreign Market, prices fell at the commencement of the week, but rallied again with the improved appearance of the English Funds, and are today generally firm. The business in Stocks of all description has been un- important.

The alarm noticed as prevailing in the Share Market has been greatly dissipa- ted, and all the really valuable Shares are at a large advance upon last week's prices. Great Western have risen the most remarkably, and are today at more than 201. per share higher. Brighton, Birmingham, and most of the old and established lines have improved, though in a much smaller degree. The better class of Scrip Shares are also much firmer; and in some cases, as the London and York and Caledonian improvement has occurred. The former rose nearly 11 yesterday., upon the reported amalgamation of the line with the Eastern Coun- ties and Mr. Hudson's new London and York line; but have fallen today, when it was discovered that the new line is to be in opposition to and not in conjunction with the present scheme. An amalgamation has occurred between the Brighton and Croydon Companies: the shares of the Brighton Company are to be turned into stock, and those of the Croydon converted into such new stock at the rate of 18/. 10s. Brighton Stock for every existing Croydon Share: 2. 702 or 2 and 7-10 Croydon Shares are thus equal in value to one Brighton Share.

lhe Foreign Shares have all been much depressed, but have rallied again, and are at prices not much below those of last week. The transactions in French Shares have not been important, and speculation does not appear to have received any impulse from the approaching concessions of the Pans and Strasburg and Paris and Lyons lines; no transactions worth remarking having occurred in either of these shares.

The settlement of the Share account took place today, and was much less disastrous than had been anticipated: only one failure of magnitude has occurred; and though two others have been declared, the transactions of the insolvent parties were not of importance. The promiscuous dealing in Scrip Shares has received a severe and wholesome check; most of the newer varieties being quoted at merely nominal premiums, at which sales to any extent are impossible. The market is consequently in a much healthier state than it has been for some time.

SATURDAY, TWELVE O'CLOCK.

Today is kept as a holyday at the Bank, and would have been so at the Stock Exchange, but that it was considered desirable, under present circumstances, to keep the establishment open. Not a single bargain has yet been recorded in the official list as having occurred in the English Funds; the quoted prices must there- fore be considered merely as nominal. The transactions in Foreign Stocks have been nearly as unimportant. In the Share-market a much better feeling prevails; sales of many varieties of Scrip can be effected at the current prices—a great improvement, when it is considered for many a day this has been nearly impos- sible. The following are the only bargains as yet recorded—Caledonian, 12t ; Eastern Counties, 224 ; Leicester and Birmingham 1/ ; Blackivall (New) 4-1; Newark, Sheffield, and Boston, 56; South Wales, 6.

SATITEDAY, TWO O'CLOCK.

Consols for Account have been as high as 971; but in consequence of seine large speculative sales they have again been as low as 06i; closing rather higher, namely, at 97. The other English Funds have declined proportionally. No material change has occurred in the Foreign Market, the prices of most of the current bonds being unchanged.

3 per Cent Consols .... 961 7 Columbian ex Venezuela..• 164 174 Ditto for Account 964 74 Danish 3 per Cents 861 21

Spec Cent Reduced 964 Dutch 24 per Cents 58 9

at per Cents 984 Ditto 4 per Cents 92 4

Long Annuities Mexican 5 per Cents 31 2 Bank Stock 206 Ditto Deferred 161 174 Exchequer Bills India Stock Brazilian 5 per Cents Belgian 47 per Cents

Chaim 6 per Cents The transactions in the Share Market have been of a better character than Far some time, though not very extensive. We have to notice the following barge= in addition to those mentioned in the morning.

prem 36 82 98 95 8 4 100 100

Portuguese New 5 p. Cts.1841 57

Ditto 4 per Cents 1845 57 Russian 5 per Cents 110

Spanish (Active) .5 per Cents 261

Ditto 3 Cents 1842 377 9

9 112 27 8

20 Boulogne and Amiens 20 Bordeaux, Toulouse, and Cette (dfackenzies) 20 Dendre Valley 20 Dutch-Rhenish 20 Great Northern of France (Lafitte's) 20 Great Northern of France (Rosamel's) 20 Louvain and Jemeppe 20 Lyons and Avignon 20 Luxembourg 20 Paris and Lyons (Laftaes)

20 Paris and Lyons (Ganneron's)

20 Paris and Orleans 20 Paris and Rouen 20 Paris and Strasbourg (Gannermes) 20 Sambre and Meuse 20 Tours and Nantes (Mackenzie's)

20 Tours and Nantes (Lefebvre's)

— West Flanders 8 101 2 14 2 14

5 954 4 64 I 2 3444 4 31 2 2

4 34*

2 2$ 3 34

20 47

20 39

2 2$

6 644

2 24 2 2$

4 544