European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - February 4, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 18 the stars and stripes sunday february 4,1990business Newbuck endures a week of  Downs rumours from soviet Union and a fast changing political picture to eas1 Germany bounced the Buck around last week. Financial markets were rocked tuesday by a Cable news network report that soviet president Mikhail Gorbachev was considering resigning As communist party Leader. The report sent the Dollar climbing against foreign currencies. Quot this follows the principle that the Dollar is a Safe Haven in times of global  said Tom Fox of Midland Montagu Bank in London. Political unrest is an important Factor in setting the Dollar rate he said. When there is bad news from the East the Dollar goes higher. When there is Good news the Dollar goes lower. Co Tribul ing to the Market s edginess was an article wednesday in Komsomol Skaya pravda the official communist parly youth newspaper calling on Gorbachev to step Down As party head and devote his full Energy to  As president. Gorbachev however vehemently denied any intention of giving up the Post. Quot any such suggestions arc groundless Quot he said. With that statement the Short lived rally for the Dollar died. It had been the Good news from East Germany and the soviets plus fears of possible easing of . Interest rates. That pushed the Dollar Down last weekend. East Germany had announced in would hold its first free elections in March two months earlier than planned. There was also an casing of tensions in the soviet Union where azerbaijani leaders on Jan. 27 offered to hold peace talks with the soviet Union. The belief that interest rates May Case were based on fourth Quarter Gross National product figures that showed the lowest rate of . Economic growth for three years. Dealers Are closely watching economic data from the United slates for further clues on the direction of the Economy. On Friday figures were released that showed the nation s unemployment Rale held steady at s.3 percent in january. Factory jobs however dropped by 112.000. It was Lite 10th straight month m which manufacturing jobs declined. Fox saw the figures As another indication of economic weakness but said that the Market did not really react and the Dollar remained steady. Before inc Gorbachev Rumor dealers had been predicted that the Dollar might be sliding toward an even bigger drop. Since mid september. It has been off is percent against the West German Mark and Japan has been doing its Best to weaken it against the yen. Based on his belief that the sluggish Economy will Force a lowering of . Interest Rales. Fox docs not Rule out the Dollar dropping to a 1,60-Mark Rale in a few months. Despite weakness in same sectors of the . Economy. Peira olt of Citibank in Frankfurt West Germany does not believe interest rates will be lowered. Quot there is too great a fear of  she said. She predicted that the Dollar will slay at about the present Rale for the Short term. A representative of american express International in Frankfurt was even More optimistic. Instead of the Dollar sliding he looks for a slight rebound. Quot i expect a rate of 1.70 Marks to the Dollar in the coming  he said. Quot there arc political unknowns. Though. Gorbachev is to give a speech this week. What he says could affect the  the Man and Dollar watch Mary Neth new . Phone service seeking military clients by Randy Mcclain financial writer a new Long distance Telephone service that can give . Scricc members easy Access to 800-prefix phone numbers in the United slates is operating in West Germany and Italy. Gateway Usa a Long distance company based in san Luis Obispo calif., began marketing its service in Europe Laic last year. The firm s no. 1 goal has been to attract business clients but As of this week the company is seeking . Scricc members As clients said Gateway s european manager James Amann. Amann said americans who Call the United states frequently can save by using Gateway s service when compared with overseas rates charged by european Telephone companies. Gateway guarantees a 20 percent savings versus the West German bund Spost. And for Calls of 10 minutes or less the California company s rates ate also less expensive than those available through at amp to s Usa direct program. At amp to is cheaper for longer Calls however. From West Germany a five minute Usa direct Call to the United slates would Cost s8.80. The same Call via Gateway would Cost $7.25. For a 10-minute Call Usa direct would charge $ 14.25, versus Gateway s $ 14. Still Amann believes its Access to boo numbers that makes Gateway particularly All Active. The 800 network widely used in the United slates does no to reach overseas but Gateway manages to put callers in touch Quot by putting their Telephone in the United slates Quot he said. The service works like this Gateway clients arc Given a special Access code and a phone number in California to dial to reach the company s switchboard. Operators listen to the diem s code number ask where they can be called Back and then hang up. That slops the Long distance charges on the expensive europc-Lo-. Leg of the Call. The next step is for a Gateway operator to Call the client Back from the United slates. Long distance Rales on Calls to Europe generally Are much less expensive than those crossing the Atlantic in the other direction. Amann said clients with push Button phones need never talk to a human operator. After being connected to Gateway s computer a client simply punches in their Access code and warts for Gateway to Call Back. When Gateway docs Call the Dienel is connected to whatever number he wants to reach in the United states. Amann said clients must pay for Access to 800 numbers under the same Rale schedule that s used for All other Calls but he said that s better than not reaching the numbers at ail. Gateway also allows ii cols to make multiple Calls within the United Stales after they establish Contact with the firm s switchboard. That feature is particularly important for customers who want to make a number of Short Calls in a Row without having to Call Gateway time Alicr Lime. Gateway offers a discount on multiple Calls made during the same phone session Amann said. Another plus. Amann said is that Gateway s Rale schedule has a one minute minimum charge comp with a three minute minimum for at amp to Usa direct service. With Usa direct a phone Call that s answered by an answering machine for example costs $6.62 even if in lasts just a few seconds. Gateway would charge less than $2 for the same Call. Amann said he s putting together a sales Force to Market the service to military clients who live off base and those with special business needs a a we d like to reach As Many military people As we can Quot he said Quot because we feel there s a need there we can  genl scan pay monthly charges via direct Billing or with a credit card Amann said. Of ends without a credit card will be limited to s100 in Long distance Calls per month. Amann said Gateway s service is offered through businesses already serving the military Market. Applications for the service Are to be available at such outlets As car dealerships video stores and insurance agencies in most military communities he said. Randall Morris a . Businessman living in Mihl him. West Germany has been a Gateway client for a a premed Morris uses a pocket dealer a device that duplicates a a to talk with Gate six months and so far he s pleased. Morris uses a pocket dealer a de the sounds of a push Button phone to ways computer in order to place Calls. Morris Quot generally i been time Morris said Gateway s return Calls from the Stales in rally come within seconds and Billing has always been timely. Another plus lie said is that inc Bills list the Date Calls were made the exact times his Access code where Calls were made from the phone numbers contacted and each Call s length. Quot i was real sceptical at first but things have worked out Quot Morris  distance rates >1 Man. Seln. 10mln. 20mln. What German Bunda Poat at amp Tusa direct $1,89 $9.47 $18.94 $37.88 i$8.62 $8.80 $14.25 $25.15 getaway $1.85 $7.25 st4.00 $27.50 selection of a Long distance phone service just got More complicated with the entry of Gateway Usa into the Market. Compare rates above Dolors choosing a company since length us the Call becomes important. Is Susan Harris cafes automates ordering of car parts from the . By Steve Taylor Munich Bureau Munich. West Germany a army and air Force Exchange officials Hope those frustrating Waits for . Auto parts Are Over. A new automated Auto parts ordering system is being installed in All cafes Europe repair shops in West Germany. The system was tested in 11 stores for six months and it was judged a Success said Bill Munn a merchandising manager with the Exchange service s european Branch. The system was designed by the association of automotive Afier Maricl distributors one of the largest pans suppliers in the United states. Exchange officials say it has several advantages. In replaces Bulky Cata logs with computerized data updated monthly. Plus the system offers same Day shipping from the United slates for Many parts and lists current prices More accurately than those familiar dogeared parts Cata logs. The new High tech system is on a compact disk provided by Arad and contains ordering information for 53 makes of ears manufactured with . Specifications. More than 3d0 Auto parts vendors Are listed. Once the right part is found on the computer it is ordered electronically from a Centra Arad warehouse in the United states. In Many cases it is shipped the same Day. With the old system in routinely look four to six weeks and sometimes six months to get pans from the United states. Munn said cafes should be Able to reduce the average waiting time for delivery to five or seven Days. The system is for Alicr Maricl parts Only Munn said. Original equipment such As body parts must be ordered from car manufacturers and delivery can take much longer. Bui Munn said the after parts Market covers about 80 percent of ail repairs. Cafes plans to eventually expand the system to Alt stores in Europe including those in inc United kingdom and Italy. Cafes Europe also is testing the concept of franchising its Auto parts stores. A lest store is now open in Stuttgart under the name parts plus. In  Arad