Groundnut oil eased further while most other edible oils ruled easy-to-steady at the wholesale oils and oilseeds market here yesterday.
Groundnut oil prices slipped by Rs 4 at Rs 354 per 10 kg on weak consumer demand and dull upcountry advices. Arrivals remained easy at about 13/15 trucks a day.
Kardi and sesame oils declined by Rs 5 each to Rs 370 and Rs 270 per 10 kg, respectively, on reduced industrial offtake against moderate arrivals. Castor oil commercial and BSS qualities firmed up by Rs 3 each to Rs 386 and Rs 398 per 10 kg on better offtake against limited availability of ready stock. Linseed oil and copra oil white improved by Rs 5 each to Rs 330 and Rs 595 per 10 kg.
Imported palmolein ruled steady at Rs 196 per 10 kg on subdued trading movements.
In futures, September contract opened Rs 2 lower at Rs 1,790 a quintal and firmed up to Rs 1,810. It, however, declined to close at Rs 1,790 a quintal.
Castor oil international contracts -- August '99, October '99 and December '99 -- opened steady at their previous levels of Rs 395, Rs 401 and Rs 358 per 10 kg, respectively, and ruled overall steady.
In oilseeds, castor seeds Madras and Maharashtra advanced by Rs 15 each to Rs 1,780 and Rs 1,774 per quintal, respectively.
Sugar: A mixed trend continued in sugar prices on modest offtake. Small grades ruled slightly firm while medium grades were subdued. S-30 looked up to Rs 1420/1445 a quintal against the previous close of Rs 1415/1435 on better demand against limited arrivals. M-30 eased to Rs 1440/1490 a quintal (Rs 1435/1510).
Sugar for check-post deliveries was quoted lower at Rs 1400/1410 a quintal for S-30 and Rs 1420/1450 a quintal for the M-30 grade.
Non-ferrous metals: Quiet conditions were noticed yesterday amid weak demand.
In virgins, metals ruled overall steady and copper wire bar was quoted at Rs 114, aluminium ingots at Rs 84.50, zinc slabs at Rs 81, lead ingots at Rs 41, tin slabs at Rs 375 and nickel cathodes closed at Rs 340 a kg. In scraps, metals copper heavy scraps were priced at Rs 102, copper utensils at Rs 89.50, brass utensils at Rs 78, brass sheetcuttings at Rs 85 and aluminium utensils were quoted at Rs 64.50 a kg.
Bullion: A firm trend prevailed yesterday with both precious metals ruling firm-to-upward. The sentiment was not firm.
Silver .999 and .916 improved by Rs 125 and Rs 95 to Rs 8,135 and Rs 7,980 a kg, respectively.
Standard gold and 22-carat gold looked up further by Rs 10 each to Rs 4,035 and Rs 3,735 per 10 grams, respectively, on firm overseas advices coupled with modest offtake. Gold biscuit rates also looked up further by Rs 100 at Rs 47,350 per piece.
