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Show SECURITIES ARE HEAVY ON EXTRE1ELT DULL TRADING Buying Better Than the Selling, According to Wall Street View; Coppers Are Firmer. By BROADAN WALL. By International News Service. NEW YORK, Feb. IS. Bonds were actiro aid irregular today, with selling and increased vigor for German account. ' Stocks were heavy on nxtremely dull trailing. Closing prices uere fairly steady, with several strong features. Floor traders trad-ers railed tho buying better than the selling1. Today's market mav be said to have developed a better tone. The stock market has been Included In the war zone for several days and buyers are timid about venturing upon the speru-lative speru-lative sea. With Saturday a half holiday holi-day and Monday "Washington's birthday, there was no disposition to encourage trading over the week-end. Union Pacific, Southern Pacific. Reading, Read-ing, Pennsylvania and St. Paul closed unchanged. un-changed. - Steel Active. Steel was active, but fluctuations were confined within narrow limits. A rumor persiHts that there will be an early and favorable announcement regarding the government's suit against the corporation. corpora-tion. While this has been repeatedly denied de-nied by those who should be in a position posi-tion to know, the story has undoubtedly t .. vouraged purchases of the stork. Steel preferred lost a half point on selling that apparently came from abroad. beUile-hem beUile-hem Steel was strong. Copper storks were firmer, although a cut in the price of the metal was generally gen-erally expected. Smelters gained i. Anaconda Ana-conda was the weakest of this group on sales from abroad. Mexican Petroleum found support around 64 and closed steady at 65 on th statement of the president of the company, com-pany, who is now in New York, that the property was in the best physical and financial condition. Central Leather Down. Central Leather was active, losing a point. Can was steady and Beet Sua:ar declined fractionally. These are all favorites fa-vorites with the western speculators, who have shown considerable activity lately. Baltimore & Ohio was heavy at 67, the minimum. Directors met today, but took no action in regard to a new bond issue. In the bond market Minneapolis & St. Louis 4s rose from 53 to 5S and Iowa Central 4s advanced three points notwithstanding not-withstanding denials that the control of these properties would pass to Canadian interests. Wall street places lltt'e reliance re-liance In official denials and the persistent persist-ent strength In these issues Is believed to have a substantial base. Quite the most cheerful newa of the dav was the announcement from Washington Wash-ington that there would be no extra session ses-sion of congress In the event of the failure fail-ure to pass the ship bill at the present session. Railroad earnings are beginning to mnke a more favorable comparison with the previous vear. Missouri, Kansas & Texas for the first week of February showed a gross Increase of $1"6.000; Chesapeake & Ohio showed a gain of JSS.OOO and Colorado Southern some $17,-000. $17,-000. Heavy engagements of wheat for export ex-port Influenced the market for sterling exchange which was very erratic, but developed an upward tendency. |