Copra

Market Overshadowed By Politics

ADVICES from London, dated early in June, and received by airmail, :hrow no light upon the immediate future of the copra market.

The more expert of the London copra lealers confess that the world market position has them baffled. Messrs.

Faure, for instance, say that they ex acted in April that by the end of May ;here would be a rise in copra prices, )ut nothing of the kind has materialised, ind for this they blame the very dis urbed, and at times critical, inter lational situation.

There is a concensus of opinion imong London market commentators hat, despite the readiness of the world generally to buy liberally of all com nodities, there will be no eager buying o long as there remains a daily danger •f an outbreak of war. All are agreed hat, so long as a major economic dis location is threatened, no person or in erest will invest more money than can •e helped in perishable goods.

The economic situation in the United Rates also remains chaotic and uncer ain, and this also tends definitely to lepress the world markets for all com aodities. It will have been noted that number of the largest manufacturers f motor cars in U.S.A. recently decided pon what is virtually a “three-months oliday”. There could be no greater vidence than this of the slowing-up of usiness, as a result of the timidity of be markets and the unwillingness of idividuals to invest money in any hing.

But, while the immediate outlook is epressing, it can be said that there is ttle likelihood of war in Europe. There re outcries and alarms, but even the ations under dictatorships realise that major war in Europe to-day would lean the end of European civilisation. 7e believe that when this fact is suf ciently appreciated—and its general cceptance may come at any time—the orld may quite easily swing into an ra of trading and prosperity, that will e almost without precedent in human ffairs.