In Europe

The Copra Market In Europe

Prom Our Own Correspondent

London, May 22.

WITH the improvement in the political situation, the outlook for copra also improved and is less unsettled.

Prices, accordingly, rose 10/- per ton during the month, but the last week has witnessed some reaction in prices.

This is attributed to a falling off in consumption and the fact that the East is offering fairly freely.

There is little change to report in world shipments of copra, these remain ing normal for this time of the year.

The cotton-seed market also has been more active and this is attributed to the demand from crushers. This activ ity has likewise been subject to a re action, and prices are about 5/- under the higher levels paid last month.

The whale-oil factor as a competitor of copra is now clarified. The entire catch has been marketed apart from a few lots held for re-sale. The trade generally is now looking to higher prices in the near future.

The demand from the Continent, par ticularly from Germany, is still con tracted on account of exchange restric tions. The result is that purchases are limited by the amount of foreign ex change available, aa purchases have mainly to be paid for in sterling, guild ers, or dollars.

As a whole, produce merchants in the city—H. M. F. Faure and Co. and others —seem to hold a more confident view for the future than has been the case for some little time past.