European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - September 28, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Today s tip the . Economy declined at a worse than expected annual rate of 0.5 percent in the Spring and there was a big jump in Laid off workers seeking jobless benefits Early this month the government said. The downward revision in Gross National product thursday was the second straight and another sign of a weak  rates London up Friday s rates for the . Dollar to other currencies. Figures Are expressed in dollars to the British Pound other local currencies in dollars Gold was quoted at $348.95 an ounce Silver at $4.09. Sept. 26 sept. 27 British pound.1.7325 1.7350 German mark.1.6805 1.6875 French franc.5.7370 5.7475 dutch guilder.1.8991 1.8970 belgian franc.34.65 34.3475 italian lira.1,258.35 1,260.1 Swiss franc.1.4620 1.4640 greek drachma.187.46 187.40 turkish lira.4,698.30 4,703.90 saudi arabian riyal.3.7501 3.7501 Spanish peseta.106 65 106.54 portuguese escudo. 145.19 145.54 Canadian dollar.1 1347 1 1354 austrian schilling.11 8575 11 8575 norwegian krone.6.5950 6 5910 danish krone.6.5035 6.5025 these Are commercial rates and can be related Only to the use of foreign currency by . Forces for official business. The Only official rate concerns the Sale of German Marks to . Personnel for personal use and this will be 1.64 through monday based on fridays noontime  York Exchange new York up York Stock Exchange Stock Mcdonalds up get corp Community pay Wal Mart str Upjohn co at amp to company genl motors Pepsico inc Ford motor Salomon inc trans co Energy Compaq pm per and wire Colagra inc Philip to the 15 most Active stocks in new composite trading on thursday. Salat last net chg. 2,384,700 35% up % 2,332,600 30% up % 2,197,900 23 % off 2% 2,093,500 47% off % 2,084,000 46% off 1% 1,985,600 38 up % 1,615,500 37% up % 1,563,200 28% off % 1,480,800 30% up % 1.420,600 24% up 1 % 17414,800 18% up 1 % 1,251,100 33% up % 1.205,300 8 off % 1,177,700 46% up % 1,075,600 71%. Off % american Exchange new York american Stock Stock metro mob b Energy serv carnival cars Organogenesis Conti air i Chamb Dev a fruit of pm Amdahl corp Cheyenne a few Bat Indus up a the 10 most Active stocks in Exchange composite trading thursday. Sales last net chg. 1,196,500 21% up % 564,200 2% up % 483,100 25% unch 407,800 15% off 1% 397,100 1% off % 354,600 28% off % 285,900 20 up % 231,100 13% up % 221,200 11% up % 197,600 11% up 5-16 Dow Jones new York up a Dow Jones closing Range of averages thursday High Low close Chong 30 Indus nals 3040.70 2990.87 3017.22 off 3.80 20 transport 1198.52 1173.13 1190.59 up5.65 15 utilities 210.75 208.63 209.94 up 0.13 65 stocks 1079.74 1062.75 1072.34 up 0.78panel oks fish Bill with costly tariffs Washington a frustrated by unsuccessful attempts to halt Drift net fishing a House panel decided the Way to get the message through to the japanese is to hit them with tariffs on television sets and automobiles. Under a Bill the House merchant Marine fisheries subcommittee approved thursday countries fishing with Drift nets would be subject to mandatory . Trade sanctions. Ban America corp. Intertwined in Bocci s web report claims by Rob Wells the associated press ban America corp. Provided Money managers and credibility to the Bank of credit and Commerce International to a degree not previously disclosed an inquiry by the associated press shows. Although the nation s second largest Bank Hasni to been implicated in a acts alleged crimes investigators Are intrigued that Bank America s name surfaces throughout the Complex history of the rogue Bank. Ban America was a big initial investor in Bocci when it was founded in 1972. According to a information culled from Rice interviews company records and other sources showed additional connections among them a ban America and Bocci in 1973 helped found the National Bank of Oman which later became the biggest Bank in that persian Gulf country. A ban America participated in an important restructuring of Bocci in 1976. That restructuring led to the creation of Bocci holdings of Luxembourg Parent of the Bank a International Empire. A ban America was a shareholder in a Paris Bank now under Federal investigation for its role in the financing of by Cir a secret takeover of first american ban shares inc. In Washington. A at least six former ban America executives played important roles in Bocci management or sat on Bocci s Board. A at a time ban America was closely watching big s lending policies the rogue Bank was aggressively trying to infiltrate the . Banking Industry. Ban America insists that during the eight years it was a minority Bocci shareholder it never knew or suspected any criminal wrongdoing involving the Bank. Ban America Hasni to been charged or named As a target in the widespread investigation of Bocci seized by regulators in july amid charges of drug Money laundering illicit weapons brokering and fraudulent Loans. But ban America still is smarting from its involvement As a Bocci shareholder. The san Francisco based company which has assets of $113 billion has been named in a class action and civil racketeering lawsuit filed last month in a California Federal court. The suit alleges ban America a actively and knowingly assisted a Bocci s illegal takeover of first american ban shares and National Bank of Georgia. Ban America spokesman Jim Mitchell called the accusations a a flagrant attempt to assign guilt by association a the Bank has asked a judge to dismiss the suit. By Cir a relationship with ban America began when the Bank eager to expand abroad provided Start up capital and acquired a 25 percent stake. Alvin c. Rice a former ban America vice chairman who served on by Cir a Board Between 1973-77, said Bocci was to open the door for ban America to do More business in the Middle East. Rice said ban America was impressed with the reputation of Bocci founder Agha Hasan Abedi a pakistani banker. A the had done an excellent Job with United Bank in that country and was a respected banker a said Rice now chairman of the first National Bank of Marin in Northern California. The Bocci investment is consistent with ban America s expansion in the 1970s under chairman . Clausen who became president of the world Bank in 1980. In 1973. Ban America and big together made a founding investment of 39 percent a about >580.000 in the National Bank of Oman. Ban America sold its investment in the late 1980s big held 40 percent stake in National Bank of Oman As of july. As Baniameri cars Middle East fire sence grew at East six executives left the Bank for sex Carlson ecu Tive Bocci positions or joined by go a Board. A key figure is Roy . Carlson who ran Bank of americans Beirut office in the 1960s and had close contacts with Abedi said Rice and other former ban America executives. The ban America Veteran later surfaced As a chairman of the National Bank of Georgia after saudi investor Ghaith Pharaon bought the Bank from Bert Lance president Carter s former budget director. The Federal Reserve contends Pharaon was a front Man for by go a secret acquisition of National Bank of Georgia which began in 1985. Pharaon a attorney has denied fhe charge. Carlson reached at his Home in Georgia declined to comment on his relationship with big. Consumer Confidence plunges to eight month Low poll shows new York a consumer Confidence in the Economy dropped to an eight month Low this week. The rate rivalled the economic gloom that prevailed during the persian Gulf War As personal financial worries struck deep into the Middle class an Abc news Money Magazine poll showed thursday. Moreover the poll showed that pessimism is growing in the West and Midwest once among the nations brighter economic spots that some forecasters had said would Lead the nation out of recession. For the eighth straight week a record for the Survey Consumers rated their personal finances As unsatisfactory. Even among those earning $25,000 to $40,000, half reported Money difficulties at Home. Eighty three percent of respondents gave a negative rating to the Overall National Economy the most in two months. An almost equal percentage said they were unwilling to spend Money. The poll marked another piece of evidence that suggests the recovery from the recession widely heralded by Many economists has sputtered. The big drop in consumer Confidence also was documented earlier this week by the conference Board a business research group in a widely followed monthly Survey of 5,000 households. The Federal Reserve Board in its periodic a beige books assessment of the Economy released last week said depressed consumer spending was impairing the Economy a attempts to rebound. The Abc Money consumer Comfort Index based on a scale of plus 100 to minus 100, fell to minus 41 in the latest poll Down three Points from a week earlier and the lowest Point since Jan. 6. Consumer Confidence is critical to helping the Economy climb out of a recession because consumer spending accounts for about two thirds of All economic activity. If Consumers done to spend then merchants can to sell factories lose orders and employers trim their work forces. The Abc Money poll suggests consumer willingness to spend Hasni to improved since earlier reports. Seventy six percent of respondents called it a bad time to buy items up two Points from a week earlier and 52 percent rate their personal finances negatively up one Point. The Abc Money Index is calculated from responses to questions about consumer attitudes on the National Economy personal finances and the buying climate based on 1,000 Telephone interviews nationwide. Woman wins $6.9 million in sex Bias suit los Angeles up a jury has awarded a los Angeles woman $6.9 million in a sex discrimination Case against Texaco inc. And that amount May increase if the panel awards punitive damages her attorney said thursday. The state court jury made the award wednesday to Janella sue Martin who has worked As a credit supervisor for Texaco in its Western Region since 1984. The panel decided to assess damages of $287,973 and $6.59 million for emotional distress pain and suffering. Martin filed suit against Texaco in 1986, accusing the Oil giant of passing her Over twice in favor of men when credit management positions were created. Martin 48, still works As a credit supervisor for Texaco. Dan Stormer Martins attorney said the panel of seven men and five women were to hear arguments Friday on punitive damages and probably begin deliberations on that part of the Case. The award for damages must also be approved by Superior court judge Ronald capped who is hearing the Case. Attorneys for Texaco of White Plains n.y., were not immediately available for comment