European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - March 24, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse                                The stars and stripes a. Page 17. Shown below Are the highest Dollar Exchange rates  week of March 17-23 compared with Dollar rates for the same period one year and five years ago. British Pound one Pound would Cost you$1-77 $1,595 1991 1990 $1,465 1986 German Mark one Dollar would buy you 1.621.681990 2.24 1986 a military Exchange rate italian lira one Dollar would buy you 1236.50 1261 1538 1986 Spanish peseta one Dollar would buy you 109.30 142 102.38 a amps currency experts say the dollars wild rally Isnit Over for Good but done to expect the week ahead to bring quite the dramatic gains that last week did. Late Friday the Dollar was trading at 1.643 Marks in Germany while in England one Pound was Selling for roughly $1.79. Both rates Are off the weeks highs by almost three pfennig in Germany and two cents in Englarf. Petra Ott economist with Citibank in Frankfurt Germany said she expects the Dollar to resume its rally after a Brief period of consolidation. Ott said the Outlook for the Dollar is Good because of a projected . Economic recovery before years end while slower growth is Likely in Germany and elsewhere in Europe. A this is a prescription for an up trend in the Dollar a she said. Still Ott said the dollars gain of 18 pfennig in Germany since mid february and a similar gain against the British Pound have been a bit overdone. A in Germany its a question not Only of Dollar strength but a Mark weakness a she said. Political problems in the soviet Union and Yugoslavia disillusionment among workers in Eastern Germany and comments by Bundesbank president Karl Otto Pohl that currency Union Between the two Germany has been a disaster have All weighed against the Mark she said. Military Exchange rates through monday Are also higher than a week earlier. In Germany one Dollar will buy 1.60 Marks at military banking facilities a gain of six pfennig on the week. And in England one Pound will sell for $1.83, also six cents better for the Dollar. The stars and stripes by Amy Geiszler Jones . Bureau great Stukeley England a by making sure they do their Homework and contribute regularly 10 members of a club have found that investing pays. The portfolio of a Wjk associates an investment club primarily operating from Raf Alconbury started with a $1,000 investment in five companies. Now the group owns shares in 18 companies and More than $10,000 in assets. The 10 members have kicked in a total of $7,590 to buy Stock Bonds and Mutual funds since getting started in october 1989. A it has t been Luck a said w. James Johnson the groups president. A people will say we be been Lucky but you do not use Luck in  the primary key to their Success has been charting each company s financial track record plus the management makeup said Johnson a senior master sergeant in the air Force. A we can never say too much about the  7 s7 -77�?o 7 a he and the clubs vice president and treasurer Kenneth Ruffins can to seem to say enough about the National association. Of investors corp., either. The two credit Nail with a Good Deal of their Success. The non profit organization. Based in Royal Oak mich., advises investment clubs around the Globe on what to buy and How to get organized a we would have been lost without Nail because there arc so Many things we did no to know a said Ruffins an air Force technical sergeant who works at Alconbury a consolidated base personnel office. 77 but even Nail which supplies members with an 80-Page manual on investing via the club method had to pass the groups scrutiny Johnson said he and his colleagues liked what they saw after Reading about Nail. Nail it turns out was started 50 continue on Page 18 a group by Randy Mcclain financial writer Thomas of Hara considered by Many to be the guru of investment clubs thinks it makes sense to play the Stock Market for fun and profit with your friends. Of Hara the chairman of the National association of investors corp., in Royal Oak mich., advises about 7,100 clubs around the Globe his group publishes a monthly Magazine called a better investing and issues an 80-Page self help manual to clubs just getting started. Of Hara thinks . Service members including first time investors can Benefit from his non profit organizations carefully planned approach a live been in an investment club personally for 50 years and its a very sound program for individuals and an excellent Way to learn about the Stock Market a he a  / a Quot. 7 a a a. A 7 a a. Its also a Good Way to make some Money. Of Hara cites numerous examples of club members who have amassed personal Stock holdings Worth More than $100,000 simply by investing $25 or $30 per month for a number of years. The premise of investment clubs is a simple one. People with similar investment philosophies join forces and Pool their Money to buy Stock. Of Hara said the average club in his organization a s 15 members. Each person researches companies considered Likely to grow and a majority vote rules on where the Money is put to work. A in an experienced club you a like to see each member responsible for keeping track of four or five stocks a of Hara said. Club members Are also expected to research new companies every month and make sales pitches to their associates whenever a company captures their fancy. Quot a 7&Quot r 77"the Nail established in 1951, has several programs to help fledgling clubs get off on the right foot. The Organiza Tiona a Magazine provides detailed analysis of one or two hot investments every month and once every Quarter it publishes a Sample portfolio of 12 stocks As suggested first time buys. Of Hara said his organization favors a conservative approach to investing and so far that advice seems to have paid off. Last year 63 percent of Nail affiliated clubs out performed the Standard amp poor s 500-Stock Index up 53 percent in 1988. Of Hara did the average club has seen Between a 9 percent and an 11 percent annual return on its holdings Over the life of the club. The Naicy a typical advice is to buy the Stock of fast growing companies and hold investment clubs the National association of investors corp. Is a Strong proponent of investing by committee. The non profit organization now 40years old thinks it makes sense for groups As Large As 25 people to research stocks Pool their Money and dive into the Stock Market together. Here Are some tips on How to make your club a Winner. A extensively research new investment ideas and debate the possible risks and rewards before committing any Money to a particular company s Stock. A buy mostly High Quality stocks with Good business records and Strong growth. Potential. Diversification among different industries and among Small and Large a companies is also a key ingredient for Success. V a reinvest All dividends and use dips in the Stock Market As buying opportunities. A keep up with economic news and other developments that can affect investments. Each member in a club should be Given one or More stocks to keep track of. It makes sense in a big club that some people will be willing to work harder than others but. Everyone should be willing to do some research or they done to belong in the club. For More information write the Nail at 1515 e. Eleven mile Roztro Jaroam Dubost a Quot 7 v v a. A amps Sharon Kilday on Lor the ride. The average Nail club buys a Stock and keeps it for 7 / years or twice As Long As the typical Lone Wolf investor holds onto the same company. Of Hara said he thinks group investing helps people hold on through hard times. A where most people have problems a of Hara said a is if the Market goes Down for six or eight months in a Row. They get discouraged and Stop  the Nail takes a longer term View a when the Market drops off and you Stop investing you fail to take advantage of bargains a he said. Many first time investors imagine that its extremely difficult to pick individual stocks that will appreciate in value. But of Hara said its not All that difficult if the investors goal is Long term gains. The Nail suggests that clubs consider investing Only in firms that have doubled their sales in the past five years showed Strong pre tax profits for their Industry and also demonstrated Strong growth in earnings per share Over a five year period. A we find that people have no trouble picking a Good growing company with Strong earnings a o Hara said. A but they tend to pick popular companies that Are  a investors should look at a stocks High and Low trading Price Over a five year period figure out the average of those two prices and then avoid buying the Stock if its current Price is higher than that the Nail advises. 7 of Hara warned that forming a new in vestment club Isnit always an easy thing to do. Half of All new it clubs break up within the first 18 months but those that stick with it generally have Good results. Personality differences and squabbles Over How investment decisions Are made sound the death Knell for some clubs. A when new groups Are. Put together they sometimes Don t think or talk much about Oliaf kind of investment program each person wants. Half the people might want to go in and out of stocks every few weeks. Others want to invest Only for the Long term. That tears the club apart a of Hara said. One interesting note in vestment clubs Are formed most often when the Stock Market is booming. 77 7 at the Start of the 1970s, there were 14,000 investment clubs affiliated with the Nail but a decade of Lousy Stock re suits drove Many out of existence. By the end of the decade there were 3, left. In the 1980s, though stocks went through the roof and Many new clubs were formed. Today a total of 7,100 dubs including 200 in Europe Are affiliated with the Nail. A you just done to seem to be Able to fight that trend a of Hara said. A people Are attracted to clubs when the Market is booming and people drop out when their clubs portfolio loses  the Naicy a motto though is hard times done to last. Most Down periods in the Stock Market Are Short and typically the Market rebounds to new highs after losing ground o Hara said