Groundnut oil held at Rs 365 per 10 kg amidst tight supplies but demand was at a low ebb. In Rajkot prices looked up from Rs 585 to Rs 590/595 per 15 kg.Imported palm oil spurted from Rs 192 to Rs 201 per 10 kg on fresh bull buying at lower level coupled with news of recovery in the global market.

Palm oil prices in the international market spurted by $8 at $320 per tonne, it was learnt.

Meanwhile castor oil was steady at Rs 359/371 per 10 kg so was castorseed ready at Rs 1639/1645 per quintal amidst nominal trading.

In the futures section castorseed March delivery climbed from Rs 1664 to Rs 1674 before settling at Rs 1668 per quintal as higher Gujarat advices triggered renewed bull interest, floor sources said. Castorseed April delivery placed at Rs 1643.50 in Ahmedabad and in Rajkot it was changed hands at Rs 1645 per quintal. Castorseed spot prices looked up at Rs 316 per 20 kg and castor oil closed at Rs 346/347 per 10 kg in Gujarat.

Bullion divergent
Gold placed higher while silver ruled weak on the bullion market here today. Standard gold moved up by Rs 20 at Rs 4,800 per 10 gm. Gold .22 carat was up by same margine at Rs 4,440 per 10 gm. in symapthy. Prices of gold biscuit (116.50 gm.) hardened by Rs 400 at Rs 56,300 per piece. Steady seasonal buying attributed to upsurge while tight supplies and news of bullish global market kept offerings restricted. In the internaetional market gold moved up from $303 to $306 per ounce.

Meanwhile silver .999 moved in a narrow range and closed Rs 5 lower at Rs 8,210 per kg. Silver .916 was down by Rs 15 at Rs 8,085 per kg. Industrial demand for silver was at a low ebb as steady inflow of raw silver from local sources put fresh pressure on the prices in the local market. In the global market the white metal ruled quiet at $5.24/5.25 per ounce. Meanwhile undercurrent for both the precious metals remain weak at the close of the session following market talks that Mumbai Municipal Corporation has reduced the octroi duty on precious metals, dealers said.

Sugar firm
Sugar price hardened again following stepped up allround buying support.Ex-godown, M-30 went up from Rs 1405-1500 to Rs 1445-1505 and S-30 from Rs 1365-1400 to Rs 1380-1425 a quintal. Ex-octroi checkpost, the price netted gains of Rs 10 to 15 at Rs 1410-1440 for M-30 and at Rs 1370-1390 for S-30.In tenders, M-30 scaled up by Rs 10 to 15 at Rs 1360-1390 while S-30 improved by Rs 5 at Rs 1320-1340 in Kolhapur line.

Tur softens
Barring reaction in tur dal, a steady condition prevailed on the grains market.

Wheat milling indigenous ruled at Rs 740, imported red at Rs 690 and white imported at Rs 811-815 a quintal. A limited quantity of new crop wheat from Maharashtra had arrived. Lokvan fetched Rs 885 and SRT Rs 950. Rice Pakistan Perimal continued to be on offer at Rs 880-890 ex-dock and at Rs 911-950 ex-godown.

Among pulses, tur dal price softened up on profit-taking from Rs 2350 to Rs 2200-2250. Tur Myanmar at Rs 1350-1375, Malawi at Rs 1500 and Kenya/Tanzania at Rs 1600 held steady. Urad Myanmar were placed at Rs 1951. Australian gram were on offer at Rs 1300-1325. Green peas USA Rumba/Heart were on offer at Rs 1350 and Canadian at Rs 900. White peas Canadian were traded at Rs 881-885.

Yarn listless
A steady trend was in evidence on the yarn market.

Polyester yarn grey first quality of medium-sized units 80dn, roto ruled at Rs 98-99, micro roto at Rs 102-103, weft at Rs 93-94, 80/1000dn at Rs 130-135 and 80/1400dn at Rs 135-140 a kg.

In the case of 150dn, weft and single roto found sellers at Rs 79-80 and at Rs 82-83.

Cotton steady
A quietly steady trend marked trading on teh cotton market.

V-797 ruled at Rs 12,600-13,000 and Sanker in the range of Rs 16,000-19,000 a candy spot. Exceptional lots of Sanker even fetched Rs 19,500.

Bengal Deshi roller-ginned ruled at Rs 1055-1150, J-34 saw-ginned good average at Rs 1530-1635, cart selected at Rs 1560-1680 and roller-ginned good average at Rs 1460-1500 a maund.

Delhi
Good quality small cardamom firmed up by Rs 5 to Rs 515 per kg following Vendametu auction centre news of a Rs 10-15 per kg rise amid a slack 23,000 kg arrivals. Cardamom brown also gained by Rs 7-10 at Rs 265-290 a kg on Siliguri higher prices reports.

Turmeric gatha shot up by Rs 50 while tamarind fell by Rs 50 on daily inflow of 3-4 trucks.

In dry fruits, almond California fell by Rs 50 whereas inferior fig firmed by Rs 300 to Rs 3800 per 40 kg.