In Punjab zone, J-34 price shot up by Rs 75 in Punjab and by Rs 60 to 65 a maund in Haryana and Rajasthan. Saw-ginned good average Punjab spurted to Rs 1625-1725, Haryana to Rs 1605-1630 and Rajasthan to Rs 1600-1625 spot. Cart selected were sought after at Rs 1675-1785, at Rs 1645-1705 and at Rs 1625-1645 respectively. Roller-ginned good average ruled at Rs 1545-1560 in Rajasthan. Bengal Deshi which had remained virtual laggard also shot up by Rs 53 to 55. Punjab roller-ginned were up at Rs 1080-1150, Haryana at Rs 1130-1135 and Rajasthan at Rs 1100-1115.

Gujarat cottons were virtually steady with a firm undercurrent. V-797 old ruled at Rs 13,000-13,300 and new at Rs 12,800-13,000 a candy. Sanker ruled in the range of Rs 16,800-19,400.

February contract closed at Rs 4566 and April at Rs 4689, once again jumping by Rs 100, the circiut limit for the day. June netted 74 point finishing at Rs 4719. Transactions rose to 7370 bales valued at Rs 5.80 crores.

Surendranagar V-797 unofficial contract also moved up from Rs 368 to Rs 375 per 20 kgs.

Meanwhile, the Maharashtra federation is flooded with buying offers. It has hiked the premium on new cotton by Rs 400 in Nagpur zone and by Rs 100 to 200 in other zones. Besides, the lifting period has been curtailed for one month to 18 days and for two months to one month. In the case of old cotton, the price has been jacked up by Rs 500, coupled with withdrawal of a discount of Rs 500 a candy.

Gold ends lower
Gold prices suffered fresh losses while silver finished on a mixed note on the bullion market here today.

Standard gold eased by Rs 5 at Rs 4,500 per 10 gm. Gold .22 carat was down by Rs 10 at Rs 4,160 per 10 gm. Prices of gold biscuit (116.50 gm.) ended Rs 100 lower at Rs 52,600 per piece. Seasonal buyers were stayed away in the falling market as continued overseas supplies prompted brisk offerings. But overall volume of trading was at a low ebb due to renewed raids and enquiries by tax officials in the bullion market, it was learnt. In the global market the yellow metal ruled quiet at $283/283.15 per ounce.

Meanwhile silver .999 maintained at Rs 8,150 per kg. Silver .916 was up by Rs 5 at Rs 8,010 amidst thin local supplies of raw silver. Demand, however was dull and volume of transaction was hardly 60/70 kg of silver during the day, according to market sources. Fresh inflow was thin as local prices were quoted at a discount against import cost, dealers said. In the overseas market the white metal was steady at $5.27 per ounce.

Castor oil recovers
Groundnut oil lost some of the recent gains on the oil,oilseeds market here today. Castorseed and its oil however recovered modestly in the ready delivery but trend was weak in the forward market.

Groundnut oil reacted by Rs 3 at Rs 375 per 10 kg. as fresh new crop supplies prompted light profit-taking. In Rajkot prices remained subdued around Rs 590/595 per 15 kg.

Imported palm oil edged down by Rs 2 to Rs 207 per 10 kg. In the kerb deals, it was changed hands at Rs 206/207 per 10 kg on weak global advices. In Malaysia palm oil prices dropped to $345 per tonne as traders reported glut due to lower export enquiries, it was gathered.

Castor oil placed at Rs 355/367 per 10 kg on overseas support and castorseed on the other hand gained Rs 7 at Rs 1619/1625 per quintal in sympathy.In the futures section castorseed March delivery moved down from Rs 1626 to Rs 1616 and settled down at Rs 1623 per quintal. Renewed bull liquidation coupled with weak Gujarat advices attributed to the slide in the prices.

In Ahmedabad April delivery settled lower at Rs 1587 and in Rajkot at Rs 1585.50 per quintal.Castorseed spot prices finished lower at Rs 300/305 per 20 kg and castor oil at Rs 339/340 per 10 kg in Gujarat. Traders reported castorseed arrivals of 40000/45000 bags in Gujarat.

Sugar eases
A dull-to-easy condition was noticed on the sugar market following slack demand.

M-30 price lost Rs 10 ex-octroi checkpost and Rs 5 ex-godown and ex-mill delivery each a quintal. Others ruled static. M-30 ruled at Rs 1345-1365, S-30 at Rs 1320-1340 and S-2 at Rs 1310 ex-octroi checkpost. Ex-godown, M-30 were on offer at Rs 1380-1485 and S-30 at Rs 1330-1385.

Tenders for the next month were to start today. M-30 were indicated at Rs 1305-1320 and S-30 at Rs 1275-1285 in Kolhapur line.

Imported sugar EEC-2 were placed at Rs 1500.

Grains weak
A dull-to-weak condition was in evidence on the grains market following slack demand.

Green peas Canada shed further Rs 10 a quintal at Rs 891. White peas Canadian/French dipped from Rs 855-865 to Rs 841.Tur Myanmar at Rs 1175-1200 and Kenya/Tanzania at Rs 1475-1500 declined by Rs 25. Malawi dipped from Rs 1450 to Rs 1400. Australian gram at Rs 1240-1250 and Tanzanian at Rs 1200 fell by Rs 25. Rajma chitra Chinese were down by Rs 50 at Rs 1700. Deshi were quietly steady at Rs 2000. Red rajma Myanmar dipped by Rs 50 at Rs 1550-1600.

Wheat and rice were static. Wheat milling deshi ruled at Rs 740-745, imported red at Rs 690 and white imported at Rs 811-815.

Yarn steady
A quietly steady condition was noticed in viscoe and nylons on the yarn market.

Viscose filament yarn bright cones first quality Century Rayon/Indain Rayon 150dn ruled at Rs 196, 120dn at Rs 205, 100dn at Rs 220, 75dn at Rs 250 and 40dn at Rs 428 a kg.

Nylon yarn Shreelon 15/1/0dn and 20/1/0dn were placed at Rs 291 and at Rs 285 respectively. Gujnil 30/1/0dn ruled at Rs 315 and 111/24/0dn at Rs 170.