Show WEEKLY REVIEW OF correspondence of the business both in domestic and foreign has a more encouraging appearance pe arance money is reported celoso at a very few distant points but comparatively ively easy levery where eke and collections aro fair in all quarters with substantial improvement where tardiness has been observed the volume of business has been affected by storms and the blockading of railways but is generally fair for the season and exchanges outside of new york are 37 per cent larger than for the same period last year it is a decidedly healthy symptom that there is general absence of speculative excitement cit ement and prices of products are in most cases settling toward a more natural nn tural level though the average is sustained by the scarcity of anthracite coal the scanty supply of vegetables and the advance in cotton goods foreign trade in december was much more favorable than early statements indicated tho decrease in ox ports of cotton breadstuff a and provisions being partly balanced by increase in cattle petroleum and minor items the excelsa of exports over imports of merchandise for the month with outgoing silver exceeding incoming gold by indicates a withdrawal of capital jex the average required for interest payments and under valuations but for the past six months receipts of foreign capital have apparently exceeded withdraw aasby the returns for rythus far indicate an increase of 5 per cent in exports over last year prices having lately encouraged a more free movement of products but the imports at new york thus far snowman increase ol 14 per cent As the exports exceeded imports by 20 millions last january these reports point to a continued though smaller excess the great strikes in the an regions continues and the scarcity of coal at many manufacturing points contrasts with the official reports of large movement to tidewater tho companies not obliged to stop work are vastly increasing their output while many iron ana other works which depend tho beading dmd supplies of have been obliged to stop iron is i te 5 i 5 perceptibly sustained in price for the time by this enforced of production and several southern have stopped for repairs but the feeling prevails that resumption of work in the coal mines may be followed by lower prices of iron at pittsburgh bessemer iron is 25 acts lower at philadelphia bar is quoted at and sales of tons steel rails to the pennsylvania are reported at over 31 at null with sales of tons besides during the wadk in all branches of this great industry the decrease in railroad demand is felt the success of the atchison and some other railroad companies in placing loans and the recent improvement demand for bonds do not alter the fact that sales of sureties to actual investors continue much be hind those of corresponding weeks last year A better tone in the stock market has been observed for two days but the business is still mainly left to speculators and the inability of promoters to place securities may retard new railway building for some time to come though current reporters still show large gross earnings chiu storms the striker and the recent disagreements about rates may be felt a little later in other branches of speculation the tendency has been toward a lower level wheat has declined 1 cent pork 25 cents per barrel sugar an eighth and coffee half 4 cents but oate have advanced 1 cents lard and hogs are a shade stronger and tin has advanced fraction there is a better movement in the wool but quotations average a little lower cotton is unchanged while prices of many makes bleached and brown goods and fancy prints have been advanced aim print claths cloths are quoted at lid for the boot and shoo business is fairly active with shipments exceeding last years and prices of almost all kinds of leather favoring buyers the lumber receipts at and about albany are reported at million feet larger than for 1886 with stocks on hand six million feet smaller than a year ago the treasury increased its cash last week though it added to bank deposits the decision of secretary fairchild nob to add to the number of bank decosi tories on the ground that an increase in the deposits above might prove a source of danger comes at a time when money is rapidly accumulating at the chief bentres centres cen tres but the prospect of definite action by congress regard mg the surplus revenue does not appear to improve the business failures occurring thorough out the country during th 0 last seven days as reported to 1 G aco the mercantile agency today to day friday by telegraph number for the united states and for canada 49 or a total of as compared with a total of last week and the week previous to the last for the corresponding week of last yea the failures numbered being in the united states and 35 in canada |