MONEY MARKET.

&roc' ETSRANGS, FRIDAY arnauroos.

The English Stock Market has been firm, and the tendency upwards. The Government Broker has sold Stock daily, in amounts varying from 10,0001. to 30,0001., on account of Savings Banks • each sale caused a slight downward movement in the market; but the prices have been well supported on the whole, and the closing quotation of Consols for Account today is 85.1 %, being an ad- vance of i percent upon the closing quotations of last week. The Bank Di- rectors, at their usual weekly meeting yesterday, reduced the rate of discount from si to 5 per cent. It was thought that, regard being had to the wants of the Government, this reduction would have been postponed till after the payment of the Dividends. The value of money having, however, fallen to 4% and 5 per cent, the current rate for good bills In Lombard Street, the Directors had to choose between making the reduction or keeping a large portion of their capital unemployed. Exchequer Bills have experienced a slight improvement; the highest premium being 2s. in advance of last week. The postal arrangements with France, commencing at the New Year, by which the communication with Paris will be accelerated by about twenty hours render nereaeary an alteration in our 'Change hours. On and after the 2d of January 1848, the merchants will assemble, on foreign post-days, from two to three o'clock, instead of from three to four. The latest time for posting foreign letters will thenceforward be seven o'clock, instead of ten o'clock, the present hour.

The business transacted in the Foreign Market does not afford scope for re- mark. The Dutch, Brazilian, Old Portuguese, Russian, and Danish Bonds, are in demand at slightly advanced prime. Spanish Stock has experienced a trifling improvement; the Three per Cents having advanced to 30i, the Five per Cents to 18i: both, however, are rather heavier today.

The Railway Share Market has been depressed, and until Wednesday the prices of almost every description of shares were declining. A better tone has since pre- veiled. With the exception of the Great Western, which are from 31, to 41. lower, most of the principal Shares are today nearly at the quotations given in our last report; and in some cases, as in the Eastern Counties, there has been a rise. A slight upward movement took place in the French Shares; which has not, how- ever, been supported.

Tomorrow, being Christmas Day, will be kept as a close holyday.

CLOSING PRICES OF STOCKS AND SHARES, FRIDAY, DEC. 24.

3 per Cent Consols Ditto for Account 3 per Cent Reduced 31 per Cents Long Anncdtles Bank Stock Exchequer Bills India Stock Brazilian 5 per Cents Belgian 41 per Cents Buenos Ayres Chill= 6 per Cents

shut. 851 i 841 5 961 i 81 11-16

9 12 prem.

shut.

79 81 87 9 — 88 90 Danish 8 per Cents Dutch 21 per Cents Ditto 4 per Cents Mexican 5 per Cents 1846 New Granada Portuguese N.4 perCents 1846 Portuguese Old 1824 Russian 5 per Cents Spanish (Active) 5 per Cents

Ditto 3 per Cents 1842

Venezuela

82 4 56 i

eh f 171 181

— 22 8 75 7 106 8 18 I

80 1 t4

Bristol and Exeter, 67%; Ditto, New, 141; Caledonian, 364 6; Eastern Coun- ties, 15% 4; Edinburgh and Glasgow, 43 *; Great Southern and Western, (Ire- land,) 211; Great Western, 93; Hull and Selby, 9811 ; Lancaster and Carlisle, 55 4; London, Brighton, and South Coast, 42%; London and North-western, 148%; London and South-western, 50; Midland, 107; Norfolk, 77; North Bri- tish, 24;} 51; North Staffordshire, 7; York and Newcastle, 331; York and North Midland, 72% 2; Ditto East and West Riding Extension, 27% i; Dutch-Rhenish, 2%; Luxemburg, ; Northern of France, 11% i; Paris and Lyons, 5%; Paris and Strasbourg, 4ii; Rouen and Havre, 181 ; Tours and Nantes, 3%; West Flanders, 1%.

The accounts of the Bank of England, for the week ending December 18, exhibit when compared with those of the preceding week the following result/i-

n/1MM DEPASTICENT. Increase. Decrease.

Rest Public Deposits Other Deposits 48,026

633,720

169,800

Seven-day and other Bills

4,489 Government Securities, including Dead-weight 51,620

Other Securities

472,603 Notes unissued

1,102,360 Actual Circulation

562,680

Issue DEPARTicartT.

Notes issued 539,170

Bullion 565,200

This week.

Last week.

Total Bullion in both Departments 11,991,376

11,426,176

Actual Circulation 17,758,255 18,320,935