European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - May 21, 1989, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 18 the stars and stripes business news red Hof Buck May soar this summer it s beginning to look a lot like a 2 Mark summer. After gaining More than 6.5 percent against the Mark in the past month the Dollar appears poised to reach and perhaps surpass the 2 Mark level last seen by . Service members in West Germany on dec. 19, 1986. Some currency analysts Are predicting it will be mid july before the Dollar reaches the Hal Lowed 2 Mark plateau others think it will Hap pen much sooner. The Lac so Balch of economic Sial Islic argues in favor of sooner nol later. The . Trade deficit figures for March re leased wednesday and the consumer Price Index data for april re leased thursday both show a . Economy that s growing at a slightly faster Pace than in 1988, with inflation by Randy Mcclain running about 5 per cent a level deemed acceptable by the Bush and  Best news of the week was the american Trade deficit which shrank by 10 percent in March As . Exports ballooned to a record $30.8 billion. On that news alone the Dollar went up three pfennig in a single afternoon on the Frankfurt. West Germany currency Exchange. The $8.9 billion Trade deficit was the lowest reported by the . Government in the past eight  the consumer Side the consumer Price Index jumped by 0.7 percent in april which was slightly higher than most economists had expected. The increase was caused in Large part by rising Oil  upshot of All this is that currency dealers now expect the . Federal Reserve to keep inner est rates Back Home right where they arc at least 3 percentage Points higher than in West Germany. And thai will tend to keep the Dollar Strong. Another supporting Factor is simply Markel sentiment that could Best be characterized As mild euphoria in favor of the Greenback. One trader in Frankfurt who spoke Friday on inc condition that his name not be used said when Ever the Dollar has dropped near the 1.96 Mark level in the past few Days Strong support surfaces for buying the Buck. A lol of people feel like they have missed the Dollar s la list run up and whenever there s a Chance to get what they perceive As cheap dollars they jump on the bandwagon the trader said. The Dollar went As High As 1.9875 Marks late last week but drifted lower late Friday afternoon on profit taking to Trade at roughly 1.9675 Marks on the Frankfurt Exchange. The Dollar traded in inc Range of $1.61 to $1.62 against the British Pound near week s  West Germany the military Exchange rate stood at 1.94 Marks Friday afternoon. It had been As High As 1.95 Marks for a Dollar earlier in the week. That 1.94 Mark rate will apply to Community banking transactions at least through monday. But Don t expect the Bucklo languish Iacre. The general feeling is that the Markel will iry to touch the 2 Mark level before too Long said the Anonymous trader. We could Sec 2.10 Marks for a Dollar by the Middle of  one potential Snag in this powerful Dollar Sce Nario is that . Officials might try to talk the Buck Back Down out of concern that an Overly Strong Dollar could make american goods Loo expensive on overseas markets and Hurt inc improving . Trade picture. Most of inc comments coming out of Washington so far though stale that the Cunt no Rale is still a comic Lilic one the Frankfurt trader said. I believe at some Point the americans will say that s it. We Don t want a stronger Dollar but we re not there  factors Are also helping the Buck this trader said. We the West germans have a weak govern Cal Righi now. And thai does t favor the Mark Al All. The Sura and strip Long hours Long Awa fed shoppers in Germany agree by Randy Mcciain financial writer Frankfurt. West Germany staff sol. Dennis r. Nelson has never done a lol of shopping on the West German Economy but starting oct. I he figures hell be doing a lol More. Finally my family and 1 will be Able to go out on the German Economy and Sec what they actually have said Nelson who is assigned to the 521st main co near Rhein main a. Nelson s interest and that of numerous other americans has been aroused by a plan pending in the West German parliament that will allow longer store hours one night a week in this otherwise stingy land of frenzied shopping and Early closing times. Barring complications beginning in october stores throughout West Germany will be allowed to stay open until 8 30 . Every thursday two hours longer than is now Legal. This so called Long thursday is part of a Compro Mise governing the retail Industry that was hammered out this month by Chancellor Helmut Kohl s coalition government. Although the plan has t cleared the parliament yet. Kohl s coalition has the votes to turn the Compromise into Law. The agreement has touched off a hot debate among Consumers labor and business interests and has left All of them feeling somewhat cheated. In addition to allowing two More hours of shopping each thursday the Compromise looks like this As before stores will be required to close at 2 . On saturdays except on Long saturday the first saturday of every month and most shops will not be allowed to do business on sundays. On some Long saturdays the government will take away a few of the extra hours Consumers Are get Ting on thursdays. From october to March stores will be allowed to stay open until 6 ., but from april through septem Ber they will have to close at 4 . German Consumers say Long thursday in t enough especially for families trying to balance shopping duties with work and Leisure activities. On the other hand unions representing workers in the retail Indus try and store owners say they Don t want any extra shopping hours. They say longer hours will increase operating costs without generating More sales. Well have the same amount of sales spread Over More Days said Klaus Nitzsche president of the South Hess in retailers association. There is no real need to change  Consumers say they Sec things differently. We say the government promised us More flexibility in shopping  said Manfred Demper a spokesman for the  Der Verbeau Cher Cuba Nicrone of Germany s largest consumer associations in Bonn. As it turns out they re giving us More flexibility y on thursday evenings but they re taking away hours on saturdays. This is not  for american Scricc members stationed in West Germany the whole debate seems a Little bit funny. After All americans have arrived Here from the land of 24-hour supermarkets sunday shopping and around the clock consumer spending. Still random interviews with  family members and civilian employees of the . Govern ment in the Frankfurt area show that the most adventurous shoppers among this crowd believe Long thursday will encourage them to buy More goods on the local Economy simply because it will be More convenient to shop. If the stores stayed open longer i d pick the kids up from school and go downtown to shop said mar ice Patterson of Mobile ala., who is on an extended visit with her son sol. John Patterson of the 122nd support in and his family. You la have enough time to browse. The Way Clos ing limes have been Why go if the stores arc open until 8 30 ., i m sure i d hop on the a Bahn and head downtown Loo agreed Dauther in Law Kathy Patterson. Barbara Wortman wife of capt. Roger woman of v corps operations division said she ii use the extra shopping hours to browse and dream and if the  Mich i shoppers enjoying a sunny May Day stroll Down Frankfurt s main shopping area the zeil. Dollar continues its Rise against inc Mark maybe even to buy. Wortman who has been in Wesl Germany for one year on this Lour said no More than 10 per cell of her shopping is done on the local Economy. But during a tour of duty with her husband in the Early 80s, half of her shopping was done at German stores she said. If the Dollar goes up and inc sales Are Good i la buy on inc Economy she said. Woman said inc More lenient store hours coming in the fall Are also to her liking. During the week there s been no time to shop because All the stores close so Early generally at 6 30 . She said. I m accustomed to the longer hours in the  Patricia k. Emmil who has lived in West Germany for the past 17 years called the Long thursday hours super  Emmil executive vice president of an International trading company that does business with inc army and air Force Exchange service said she s glad store hours Are being extended on Only a limited basis. "1 think one night a week until 8 30 . Is Fine Emmel said. But i Don t think germans want shop Ping hours to get like in America where their whole family life is destroyed by shopping at All hours. People Here Don t want to become too  Nelson of the 52lsl main co said he expects his shopping on the local Economy to increase by As much As one third when Long thursday takes effect. I oftentimes have tried to go shopping on saturdays but there s not thai much time or it s Jam packed he said. I think the extra thursday hours will Lake care of some of that congestion and my family and i will be Able to do some More shopping and touring in  one word of caution slaying open Lacr on thurs Day nights will not be mandatory and some observers think Many store owners will close Early despite inc new shopping hours Law. Especially with smaller stores say up to 20 employees there will be problems said Nitzsche of the retail cars association. Many owners Are already working 70 hours per week in i hair stores and on thursday evenings they will want to be  in West Germany at least old habits die hard