

THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD 



[May 1, 1915. 



Review of the Crude Rubber Market. 



V\ S i iKK. 



April 30. 1915. 



T( unard docks became so serious early 

 in April |uire the service of additional dock-men 

 to n ■ accumulating rubber. Complaints, however, 

 arc -till heard thai the service is not as prompt and efficient as 

 it should be. The market for the first week was very quiet. 

 I'iht iniformly at 57 cents, while First latex crepe 

 and Smok ribbed were quotei al 61 and 62 cents, re- 

 spectively. On the 6th of the month a somewhat firmer tone 

 iver tine moving up to 58^@59 cents, while First 

 crepe and Snicked sheet ribbed were marked up ti . (4 and 

 nts. Upriver tine advanced another point, selling on the 

 •Sth a I nl week brought plenty of in- 



quiries, and although it was apparent that the manufacturers 

 well supplied, prices stiffened considerably. There was 

 practically no spot plantation rubber. First latex, April-May 

 delivery. - . and Smoked sheet ribbed, April-May 



deliver., broughl ents. The unusually heavy rains on the 



have held back the usual rubber receipts from 

 the interior. London's reserve stock is apparently getting low, 

 and buying foi u pean account has advanced the Xew York 

 of Brazil sorts. By the middle of the month Upriver 

 g in a firm market for 61 cents, and quota- 

 tions for future delivery were not obtainable. 



Ihi han the market during the second week of the 



month was not i i ause of any urgent demand on the part of the 

 manufactun rather because of the slowness of deliveries, 



due chiefly to inadequate shipping facilities, but partly also to 

 the dock tt in London and to the fact that shipments 



were received at New York in such confused state that the as- 

 sortmenl oi sumed an unusual length of time. 



two weeks of the month the market has been 



quiet and dull. There were inquiries, but little business beyond 



sort. Prices were irregular and only small lots 



were bought. The impression is that the manufacturers are 



the time being and are looking forward to lower 



. 



In spite i t the unsettled conditions in Mexico, regular ship- 



of guayule have been made to the United States. The 



monthly avi _ ■ ive or six m"Uths has been 500.000 



The steamship "St. Stephen" from London with plantation 



vow due. The steamship "Tropea" sailed from the 



same | I 21, and will arrive al Xew York in 14 days. 



in" and "Nebraskan" are reported to 



mdon. All these ships carry rubber. 



Direct shipments from Java are now coming regularly. The 



steamships 'Malang" ami "Oopeck" are en route from 



Batavia fur Xew York with rubber. 



Brazilian ports tn the United States i s as 



Booth Line steamship "Gregory," from Iquitos, 



' is en route to Manaos and Para, and is due in 



\~ew York May 17. The steamship "Dunstan," of the same line, 



from northern Brazil coast ports, with 40 tons, is due May 7. 



["he LI -teamship "Purus," from Manaos and Para, 



with A - n. m due. The steamship "Francis" >ailed 



r.. m I'ara on March 24. with 460 tons of rubber, for Liverpool. 



The British steamship "Benedict" sailed from Manaos. April 4, 



vith 2 : rubber for X'ew York. On same day the Bra- 



:ilian steamship Para" was loading 83 tons of rubber for the 



lhe first week of April was marked by a str. >ng and active 

 narket, in:. i doubt by the activity of rubber shares. 



\ fair business was reported and prices were supported by in- 

 quiries for quotations on all grades. At the end .it the week 

 Standard crepe was 2s. 4 l / 2 d. for spot, and Smoked sheet was 

 stead) at 2s. 5 1 ,,/. for spot. Hard Para was firm at 2s. 6y 2 d. 

 Crepe was in demand, especially July-December delivery, at 2s. 

 3d. while Smoked sheet was selling at 2s. 3'Ad., a difference of 

 only a little over Yid. 



1 Hiring the second week there was enough activity to steady 

 prices, although actual trading was limited to future deliveries. 

 The reported delay in the issue of shipping permits and the un- 

 certainty of cargo space resulted in an easier market. By the 

 middle of the month Standard crepe was 2s. 4d. for spot, July- 

 December being 2s. 2~/sd. Smoked sheet was 2s. 5d. for spot, 

 July-December being 2s. 3V 2 d. Para rubber has steadily slmwn 

 strength, and advanced prices are quoted for Hard tine, which 

 closed at 2s. 6 



It appears that the abolition of the rubber auctions has had 

 a steadying effect on the London market and has eliminated, 

 at least temporarily, the speculative feature. 



According to communications from the American Consul at 

 London, the exports of rubber declared at that port to the 

 United States during the first three months of 1915 were valued 

 at $13,882,728, as compared with $9,171,126 for the same period 

 last year. 



If the Dardanelles is opened it is quite possible that the Brit- 

 ish Government will commandeer many ships now carrying rub- 

 ber and use them as transports. There is a ready market in 

 France and (ireat Britain for Russian wheat, and ships will be 

 needed for carrying this wheat as soon as the Dardanelles is 

 open, and the result may affect plantation rubber considerably. 

 The market continued firm and quiet during the last two 

 weeks, with little change. Prices for plantation grades were 

 maintained on a hasis of 2s. V/ 2 d. for spot. Standard crepe was 

 offered at 2s 3d. and smoked sheet ribbed at 2s. 3 ; 4 i/. 

 SINGAPORE AND COLOMBI - 

 Auctions are held regularly and the offerings are taken up 

 promptly and at satisfactory figures. Shipments to London 

 and the United States are delayed for lack of cargo space. The 

 steamship "Indrakuala" from Singapore i- due in Xew \ork 

 May 5. 



Messrs Keel ^c Waldock, of Colombo, print the following in- 

 formation in their weekly report, concerning ocean rates : The 

 freight on rubber from Colombo to London is 70.s\ plus 20 per 

 cent, war surcharge: from Colombo to X'ew York. 92.f. 6d. plus 

 50 per cent, war surcharge, and from Colombo to the Continent, 

 70.s\ plus 20 per cent, war surcharge. 



Xew York Quotations. 

 Following are the quotations at Xew York one year ago, one 

 month ago, and April 30, the current date: 



Para. May 1, '14. Apr. 1, '15. Apr. 30, '15. 



Upriver. fine, new 74@75 58 @ 60 



Upriver, fine, old 59 @60 62 @ 



Islands, fine, new 72<w 53 @ 53 @ 



Upriver, coarse, new 45(g46 46 @ 46 @ 



Islands, coarse, new 31@ 30^@ 30 .< 



Cameta 35tf?36 34 @ 34 i 



Caucho, upper 45ra46 47^@ 48 ® 



Caucho, lower 44 @ 45 @ 



Plantation Hevea. 



,„„„ (Spot 65 (a 59 @ 

 /Afloat 62 @ 58 @ 

 fSpot 62 @ 58^@ 

 [Afloat ol '■• 57 @ 

 Fine sheets and biscuits un- 

 smoked 62@67 



Smoked sheet ribbed 

 First latex crepe. . . . 



,67@69 



