May 1, 1917.] 



THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD 



487 



Review of the Crude Rubber Market 



Copyright IQ17. 



■ NEW YORK. 



CRUDE rubber business during the past month has been 

 considered fair in some quarters, while in others trading 

 lias been reported as dull and featureless. While consider- 

 able turn-over business has been freely indulged in by the dealers 

 forming the bulk of the month's transactions, the manufac- 

 turers have covered their immediate requirements by quietly 

 picking up small lots. The war declaration was followed by 

 a very firm undertone and stiffer prices that seemed to pre- 

 sage the advance forecasted by the bull element. However, 

 the movement lacked support and the market eased off with- 

 out recording price changes worthy of mention. Even the 

 report of a government tax on crude rubber failed to stimu- 

 late the dormant buying interests; however, later it was 

 reported that the war revenue measure would not include 

 crude rubber. 



The scarcity of bottoms and the unfavorable financial con- 

 ditions in the Far East are delaying direct shipments, four 

 months being required for cargoes via Pacific Coast ports. 

 Moreover, the preference given by the railroads to necessi- 

 ties, such as foodstuffs, military supplies, etc., has resulted 

 in holding rubber arrivals at Seattle and San Francisco. Spot 

 stocks appear to be cleaned up and nearby is getting very 

 scarce. Arrivals are slow and the shipping situation con- 

 tinues to grow steadily worse. DuVing the month several 

 direct New York shipments from the East were diverted to 

 Liverpool and Lofidon, a fact that still further shows the lack 

 of bottoms. Freight rates from Colombo have advanced, and 

 the insurance on London shipments is now 5 guineas the ton, 

 equivalent to $25 United States money. 



Plantation prices have shown very little change during the 

 month. April 1 first latex and smoked sheet ribbed, spot, 

 were quoted 81 cents; April-May, 79 cents, and July-Decem- 

 ber, 73 cents. Upriver fine spot was 76j^ cents. Steady 

 conditions prevailed during the month, with minor price 

 changes and on April 27 first latex and smoked sheet 

 ribbed, spot, were 82 cents ; May-June, 80 cents, and 

 July-December, 75 cents. Market conditions very firm. The 

 knowledge that there is plenty of rubber at producing centers 

 is having a steadying effect on the market that would other- 

 wise be adversely influenced by the shipping situation. Afri- 

 cans have received but little attention, while Centrals, par- 

 ticularly during the last week of the month, were in active 

 demand. 



LONDON. 



Quiet conditions have ruled the London market during 

 April; however, the undertone has been generally steady. 

 Conservative buying has characterized the trading that lacked 

 in volume, due to the absence of real interest. The effect of 

 America's entry in the war was watched with interest in Lon- 

 don, and when the active buying that was expected did not 

 occur the trade settled down to watchful waiting. Prices , 

 show very little change for the first three weeks of the month, 

 holding around 75 cents for first late.>: and smoked sheet ribbed. 

 On April 27 the standard plantation grades were quoted 36d., or 

 about 72 cents in a very firm market. 



The following estimate of the world's production and con- 

 sumption of rubber during the next four years is by C. A. 

 Lampard, the well-known rubber prophet, now deceased: 



Year. Production. Consumption. 



1917 tons 235.000 " 230,000 



1918 26S.000 260.000 



1919 295.000 290,000 



1920 314,000 312,000 



No allowance has been made in these estimates for the German 

 and Austrian post-war demand, which is not expected to be less 

 than 26,000 tons per annum. Apart from this it will be seen that 

 during the four years in question it is thought that supply and 

 demand will remain very nearly balanced. 



London imports for February were 4,748 tons, compared 

 to 6,364 tons for January. Re-exports were 5,043 tons, com- 

 pared to 4,473 tons for January. Liverpool imports for 

 February were 2,410 tons, compared to 1,215 tons for January. 

 Re-exports were 1,331 tons, compared to 976 tons for January. 

 SING.APORE. 



The cables from Singapore indicate a good demand for all 

 grades. At the auctions, held March 30, April 6, 14 and 21, 

 the average prices obtained were as follows: First latex, 

 crepe, 68.6 cents; smoked sheet ribbed, 68.9 cents. The total 

 amount sold was 2,105 tons. 



NEW YORK SPOT aUOTATIONS. 



May 1, April 1, April 27, 



Plantation Paras— 1916. 1917. 1917. 



First-latex crepe 78}4 81 82 



Amber crepe, light gristly 76 79 78 J4 



.\mber crepe, dark . . 77 78 



Brown crepe, thick clean .. 75 77 



Brown crepe, thin clean, light mottled. . . 78 78 



Brown crepe, thin clean 75 77 77 



Brown crepe, thin specky . . 72 72 



Brown crepe, thin barkey .. 69 68 



Brown crepe, rolled . . 65 65 



Smoked sheet, ribbed standard quality. 77J^ 81 82 



Smoked sheet, plain standard quality. ... 79 8054 



Unsmoked sheet, standard quality.... .. 78 78 J4 



Singapore scrap, No. 1 .. 63 63 



Singapore scrap. No. 2 .. 61 61 



Colombo scrap. No. 1 . . 64 64 



Colombo scrap. No. 2 .. 62 62 



Brazilian Paras — 



Upriver fine 70'/2 76^5 75 



Upriver medium 65 70 70 



Upriver coarse 541^ Slyi 51 



Knapsack Madeira . . 82 82 



Peruvian fine .. 74 73 



Upriver weak fine .. 65 65 



Upriver caucho ball 55 51J^ 51 



Tapajos fine .. 74 73 



Islands fine . . 72 72 



Islands medium . . 66 66 



Islands coarse 34 36 2iyi 



Islands weak fine . . 54 54 



Cameta 38J4 38 36>4 



Lower caucho ball . . 48 48 



.Africans — 



Accra flake . . 33 31 



Niger flake .. 34 31 



Eenguela, extra seconds, 28% .. 41J4 411.^ 



Eenguela, No. 2 iZViVo 39 39 



Benguela, No. 3, 40% 33^ 33}4 



Congo prime, black upper . . 65 63 



Congo prime, red upper .. 60 59 



Rio Nunez ball 66 66 



Rio Nunez sheets and strings . . 66 66 



Conakry niggers . . 65 66 



Massai sheets and strings .. 65 65 



Centrals — 



Esmeralda sausage 50 50 50 



Central scrap 49 49 49 



Central scrap and strip 48 48 48 



Central wet sheet . . . ; 35 35 35 



Guayule t . . 44 50 



Manicobas — 



Ceara scrap .. 35 35 



Ceara negro heads . . 49 49 



Manicoba special . . 38 38 



Manicoba extra . . 35 35 



Manicoba regular . . 32 32 



Mangabeira thin sheet . . 38 38 



Mangabeira thick sheet . . 33 33 



Balata — 



Balata block 68 65 



Surinam sheet . . 95 95 



East Indian — 



Assam crepe . . 75 75 



Assam onions . . 73 73 



Penang block scrap .. 35 35 



Pontianak pressed . . 25 25 



Bandjermassin .. 20 20 



Gutta percha, red Macassar 210 225 



