European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - April 21, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Sunday. April 21, 1991 the stars and stripes a Page 15�?� a Money matters if m a i 1� Dollar watch shown below Are the highest Dollar Exchange rates for the week of \ april 14-20 compared with Dollar rates for the same period one year and five years ago. British Pound one Pound would Cost you $1-77 $1.63 $1.48 j 1986 1901 1990 German Mark one Dollar would buy you 1.67 1.65 1991 l a military Exchange rate dutch Guilder one Dollar would buy you 1.93 1.89 2.31 1986 1991 1990 2.626 1986 a. A a  is amps Trade news spurred Dollar the Dollar moved broadly higher against major european currencies last week thanks to a glowing report on americans Trade deficit and More comments from Germany scentral Bank Boss that his country a financial House is in disarray. The Buck turned in its biggest gains in Europe on Friday moving to 1.736 Marks by late Friday afternoon up from 1.688 Marks a Day earlier. In England one British Pound was Selling for $ 1.724 late Friday an improvement for the Dollar Ofa mosts cents on the Day. Among positive developments for the Dollar were a Commerce depart men t report on thursday showing the . Trade deficit shrunk to a Mere $5.3 billion in february its lowest level in seven years and another warning from Germany a Bundesbank president Karl Otto Pohl that inflation is a serious threat to his nations Economy. Pohl in a speech in Frankfurt cautioned that the once mighty German Trade surplus could continue to decline and along with it the once mighty Mark. A the German Mark has lost its gloss for the time being a said Anthony Thomas an economist with Kleinwort Benson inc. In London. Thomas added that a consensus seems to be building that the Federal Reserve wont have to lower interest rates any further in the United states to Engineer a smooth end to the recession. A certainly for the next three months or so american rates Are on hold at current Levels a he said a and everyone a looking to buy the  he said the Buck should move ahead to at least 1.80 Marks. Military Exchange rates this weekend and monday Are much higher than a week ago and still on the Way up. In Germany one Dollar is Worth 1.67 Marks at military banking facilities while in the United kingdom one Pound is Selling for $1.79, 5 cents better than a week earlier. The stars and stripes Stock Market s recent surge brings euphoria to investors by Randy Mcclain financial writer if Dan Leeper a. Attitude is any indication investors in the european military Community Are in a Stock buying mood now that the Dow Jones Industrial average has brushed the historic 3,000 Point level. A going Over 3,000 is Nice but you have to think 4,000 or 5,000 is possible some Day a said Leeper a Small investor who works As a budget analyst with the 2lst theater army area come in Kaiserslautern Germany. Leeper moved All $22,000 in assets in his Federal retirement account into stocks last month making him look like a pro picker now that the Dow hit an All time High of 3,004.46 wednesday j the performance of the Dow which fell 33.67 Friday to end the week at 2965.59, has left Leeper brimming with Confidence. A i believe this is a Clear sign the . Economy is going in the right direction a he said. Other american investors in Europe said they think much the same Way although several financial planners continue to warn that a Sharp downward correction in the Market is still possible. A my immediate reaction is that this is. Very encouraging a said 66-year-old Mark White a former an executive in Berlin who retired in 1988. A it just seems logical that this could be the Harbinger of Good times 1 Hope this holds and that its not a Flash in the  White added that he wont Rush to the Market with his spare Cash right away. A a in la hold off for a week or so a he said. Professional advisers said Small investors have been returning to the Stock Market in Large numbers throughout the first Quarter of the year with the Pace really picking up after the War with Iraq was won. Stock based Mutual funds have also benefited from big inflows of Cash this year and Many of the funds have Given investors double digit returns since Jan. 1. Christopher Price a financial planner with integrated financial planning scr ices in Berlin said the Downs Heady performance and broader based gains throughout the Stock Market As a whole have made it easier to sell Stock Mutual funds to service members lately. A a in be been in this business Long enough to go through the  and Downs of the Market a Price said. A a it a hard to sell when Mutual funds Are turning in 8 percent gains. It s easier to sell when Mutual Dow milestones on the Road to 3,000 3,500 3,000 2,500 2,000 1,500 1,000 500 Iti Jan. 12,1906 closes above 100 for Tho first time at 100 25 oct. 28,1929 drops 38.33 Points the worst drop on record until 1986, cutting nearly 13 percent of the averages value closing at 260.64, �?�0 mar. 12,1956 closes above 500 for Tho first time at 500.24 a nov. 14,1972 closes above 1,000 for Tho first Timo at 1,003 16 Jan. 8,1987 Breaks 2,000 for Tho first time rising to 2,002.25 m oct. 19,1987 nosedive a record 508 Points to 1,738.74, a drop of 22.6 percent that dwarfs the great crash of 1929 a april 17,1991 finishes at 3,004.46, up 17.58, for its first close above 3,000. April 17. 1991 3.004.46 quarterly closes 1928-1991 ,,rt.,r,,ii�?~ Fri Quot to i 1930 1940 s a >vha1 of it a a it to two the to it tit 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 funds Are turning in 35 percent  prices forecast is that the Stock Market May suffer a 100-Point dip Over the Short run but he said he thinks a Dow Jones average of 3,300 is easily within reach later this year. Some prognosticators Are talking about a 3,800 Point plateau before the current Bull Market has run its course. David Smith a financial planner with inter vast International in Aviano Italy said the Downs High water Likely will encourage people to invest More in Mutual funds. The gains turned in recently by most Stock funds easily outshine rates available on traditionally Safe investments like Bank certificates of Deposit which have been falling in recent months Smith said. Cd rates at military banking facilities Are around 6 percent roughly 2 percentage Points lower than a few months ago. A interest rates Are Likely to stay Low Quot and who wants 6 percent on their Money a the Avino based planner said. Two other investment advisers in Europe said the Downs performance which reflects the total share prices of Only 30 stocks Isnit a foolproof sign that Happy economic Days have arrived to stay in the states. A having the Dow at 3,000 is More psychologically important than technically important a said Paul Filkil a certified financial planner in Baum older Ger a. A a a a a a a. Aps amps Mahy. He said people who have been invested in stocks for some time might want to take profits at this stage. Others who have been on the sidelines since before the War with Iraq might be better served by staying there until the Market retreats a bit. Filkil said he thinks a downward correction is possible. A earnings reports for Many Corpora Lions have been disappointing and the Market May Correct Filkil-said., Quot prices Are liable to Tumble. A a in a be telling people who want to move $20,000 into a equities today that maybe they should have acted several weeks ago a he said. A reaching 3,000 on the Dow does no to mean the sky is the limit a agreed Jay Holland director of Merrill Lynch a Ber i in office. He said Merrill Lynch technical analysts expect a 5 percent to 7 percent correction in the Market although their longer term View Calls for the Dow to jump to roughly 3,100 by Early summar. A Quot. /. Merrill Lynch is advising clients to buy in selected areas on any pullback in the Stock Market. Favored areas include Hospital Supply firms and management com panics computer software firms manufacturers of telecommunications equipment specially chemical companies and engineering and construction companies. It to rotate Detroit up a Saturn corp. Is expected to add a second work shift to its car manufacturing Complex in Spring Hill tenn., april 29, and rotate workers Between Day and night shifts every week the general motors corp. Subsidiary confirmed Friday. Saturn spokesman Bill Betts said the 4,500 workers on two Crews will work four 10-hour Days a week. The first shift will work from 6 30 . To 4 30 . The second shift will work from 5 . To 3 . Workers w ill have three Days off be tween alternating shifts. The alternating shift plan is unusual for a . Auto Plant where shifts Are determined by seniority. Nearly All Auto plants also operate on five Day eight hour shifts although the four Day workweek in in place at some pm plants in Europe. A a great Deal of research has gone into this a Betts said from the company a manufacturing Complex. A the three Day break in Between also allows us maximum equipment usage. There is also no seniority Here so All work the same number of hours and  the shifts Are a so being set up to provide Saturn the flexibility to convert to three Crew production if demand for the Small sedans and coupes is Strong enough Saturn president Richard a skip Quot Lefauve and Michael Bennett the company Stop Union executive said in an interview published in the Detroit news. Lefauve would not say when or if a three Crew system might be adopted. But Saturn could become the first . Auto Plant to have such a plan now used in Europe and said to increase output without major investment in tools and equipment