MONEY MARKET.

STOCK EXCHANGE. FRIDAY AFTERNOON.

Bank Stock has again improved nearly 4 per cent since last week; and it is now very generally believed that the extraordinary recent rise in this security is occasioned by the successful progress of negotiations on the part of the Bank with the Government for a renewal of the Charter, upon terms favour- able to the establishment. Nothing can as yet be positively known as to what those terms may be ; for, though a report is current that, among other condi- tions, the Bank are to provide funds to pay off the dissentients to the antici- pated reduction of the Three-and-a-half per Cents, it is so clear that the Go- vernment must require assistance from the Bank in order to complete that operation, as the only quarter in which it could be obtained, that no inference can be drawn from the conclusion of such an arrangement as to the terms upon which the renewal of the Charter is hereafter to be effected. The Government Securities bearing 3 per cent interest have improved about 4 per cent. The transactions of the week have not been of a very noticeable character, the most important operations having been the purchases by the Government-broker on account of the Savings Banks : these purchases have averaged about 200,0001. per day ; and that of this morning was in Consols at 974. The highest price this Stock ever attained occurred in January 1737, when the quotation reached 107; the lowest was on the 25th January 1798, when it was 474; and the highest since that period is the quotation of today, 974. It appears quite evi- dent that the public have taken for granted that the reduction of the Three- and-a-half per Cents will be effected, as during the week there has been a ge- neral disposition to sell Three-and-a-halfs; which have declined 4 per cent, while the Three per Cent Stocks have risen 4 per cent. The premium upon Exchequer Bills, which had given way, had rallied again, and is 66s. to 68s. The speculation in the Foreign Market has been principally confined to the Mexican, the Venezuelan, and some of the other South American Bonds ; all of which have risen from 1 to 2 per cent, without any apparent cause for the im- provement other than the plenty of money. Portuguese Converted Bonds have risen about 2 per cent; and after being at 48, have receded to 464, dosing at 474. The Bonds of the Old Portuguese Loan have risen from 72 to 74 and 75. Spanish Stock has shown a steady disposition to advance; the Active Five per Cent Stock being rather more in demand during the last day or two than the Three per Cent : the business transacted has not, however, been so exten- sive as usual. All the other Foreign Bonds are in good demand, without the appearance of any large speculative buyers. At a meeting of the Shareholders of Brighton Railway held today, a divi- dend was declared of I/. per Share for the half-year just ended: these Shares have consequently risen about that extent per share. The other Railway Shares are generally in demand at advanced prices. Several new schemes have made their appearance; but there does not appear the same eagerness to purchase them as has been remarkable on previous occasions, and unless in con- nexion with some established and successful line, the Shares are not in demand. The Shares of the Australasian Banks are in much better repute than lately ; the report recently made at the meeting of the Union Bank of Australia having tended to restore the confidence of the holders.

SATURDAY, TWELVE O'CLOCK.

The English Three per Cent Stocks have advanced per cent upon the closing prices of yesterday ; Consols, both for Money and Account, being 974 4; the Three-and-a-half per Cents are, however, the same.

In the Foreign Market, prices are generally as yesterday, with the excep- tion of a slight advance in Spanish Stock ; of which the Three per Cents may be quoted at 314 4, and the Active Five per Cents at 234.

The following transactions have occurred in Railway Shares : the quota- tions do not vary materially from those of yesterday : Eastern Counties, 104; Ditto, New, 12 ; Great Western, 1104; Ditto, Fifth Shares, 194 5; Brighton, 4444; South-western, Eighth Shares, 24 4 4; Midland Counties, 904; Ditto, Quarter Shares, 224; Northern and Eastern, 544; Paris and Orleans, 334; Ditto and Rouen, 324 ; York and North Midland and Scarborough, 184. SATURDAY, Two o'ccecx.

Bank Stock has risen again this afternoon, and closes at 1944 5. The other English Funds are at the morning's quotation. The Foreign Funds are gene- rally without material variation.

The following transactions have occurred in Shares since the morning : San- tiago de Cuba (3lining), 18; National Provincial Bank of England, 344 ; Railways—Birmingham and Gloucester, 68; Bristol and Exeter, 68 7; Eastern Counties Extension, 4; Edinburgh and Glasgow, 15; Great Western, 111 ; Leeds and Manchester, Half Shares, 1014 ; Blackwall, 64 4 ; South- western, 77 64 ; Croydon, 161 5 ; Lancashire and Carlisle, 54 4; Manchester and Birmingham, 394 A ; Norwich and Brandon, 44 4 ; Newcastle and Darling- ton, 30; South-eastern and Dover, 36 54; Ditto, Scrip, 364; West London Preference, 14.

3 per Cent. Consols Ditto for Account 3 per Cent Reduced 34 per Cent Ditto

New 31 per Cents Bank Stock

Exchequer Bills

India Stock Brazilian 5 per Cents

Belgian 5 per Cents

13hiliau 6 per Cents

prem.

974 4 971 ft 081 4 1024 3 101% 2

1944 5

67 9 275 6 77 9 1054 64 101 3

Milan Deferred

Columbian 6 per Cents 1824

ex Venezuela

Danish 3 per Ceuta Dutch 24 per Cents

Ditto 5 per Cents Mexican 5 per Cent,

Portuguese New 5 p Cts.1841 Russian 5 per Cents Spanish (Active) 5 per Cents

Ditto 3 per Cents 1842 48 50

111 124 864 874 541 51 101 33% 4 464 74

117 18

221 3

314