European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - November 19, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Tuesday november 19, 1991 the stars and stripes b Page 17. / Money matters today a tip the Bush administration should investigate Mcdonnell Douglas  plan to sell a 40 percent stake in its commercial aircraft business to foreigners for $2 billion a . Senator said. Sen. Jeff Bingaman d-n.m., said he would ask Bush to have the administrations committee on foreign investment in the United states investigate the Deal. Bingaman said he would try to Block a Deal if it is judged harmful to . Interests. Taiwan aerospace corp. Said Friday that it is in talks with St. Louis based Mcdonnell Douglas which said it also is talking to firms in Japan South Korea Singapore and Indonesia. A it is a very negative development for the United states a said rep. Richard a. Gephardt d-mo., the House majority Leader. He said the plan amounted to a Giveaway of . Technology. Hood said Viglas Little technology would but Douglas president Robert by be transferred to foreign terms. In addition Mcdonnell cannot afford the estimated $4 billion it will take to develop its next aircraft the md-12 trivet Hood said. Conversion rates London up mondays 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 $360.05 an ounce Silver at $4.07. Nov. 15 nov. 18 British pound.1.7600 1.7940 German mark.1.6375 1.6000 French franc.5-5795 5.4625 dutch puilder.1.8450 1.6115 belgian franc.33-69 33.04 italian lira.1.231.55 1.214.00 Swiss franc.1.4505 1.4240 greek drachma.184.67 1b2.48 turkish lira.4,954.60 4,920.80 saudi Arabia rtyal.3.7502 3.7499 Spanish pehta.102.83 101.51 portuguese escudo.142.28 140.69 Canadian dollar.1.1294 1.1278 austrian schilling.11.465 11.3030 norwegian krone.6.404 6-3120 danish krone.6.3405 6.2465 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 1.57 through tuesday based on mondays noontime Price fixing. Honda planning to buy american Tokyo up Honda motor co. Announced monday that it will make an Effort to a buy american when purchasing Auto parts in the United states. The announcement closely followed visits to Japan by High ranking . Officials who pressed for greater Market Access for autos Auto parts and agricultural products. Honda said in a statement that it will boost purchases of .-made automotive parts and materials to $4.5 billion for the fiscal year starting april 1994. In the year starting april 1990, Honda bought $2.8 billion in . Auto parts. Toyota announced last week that its purchases of . Goods will reach $5 billion in the year beginning april 1994, and Nissan also has said it will increase local purchases. Breakfast cereals popularity around world sweetens exports Washington a the snap crackle and pop of breakfast Cereal is being heard increasingly around the world As More people in other countries give up their traditional Wake up foods for the american mainstay. So says the agriculture departments december Issue of a exporter which reports that the United states exported a record $85 million in dried breakfast cereals in 1990, four times As much As in 1986. That growth in exports is a buoyed by rising incomes and populations growing a a _ a by we a major markets declining Trade barriers demand generated by Estem tourists in and changing tastes and preferences a it said. If the United states continues to gain its share at the rate it has Over the past few years annual exports of breakfast cereals should reach Between $200 million and $250 million by 1995. Exports this outrageous at Toyota s Toyota Japan a forget Power windows and sunroofs. The japanese car of the future has triangular wheels suspension like a Pogo stick and rubber bands under the Hood. Or at least those were some of the features taking top honors at Toyota motor  16th annual idea olympics a Kina of alternative motor show for frustrated designers and ambitious engineers. A a in a like to think some Day Well find a practical application for some part of this thing a said Takuya Kitazawa who won a Silver medal for a vehicle that bounces around on three powerful High tech Pogo Sticks. A but frankly i doubt it a he added. Thousands of spectators turned out to look at the unconventional creations in this Central Japan City built around the nations largest and the worlds third largest automaker. Taking this years Gold medal was the a Delta Beetle a a red White and Black hot Rod with triangular wheels on Independent drive belts that enable it to climb stairs. The Bronze went to a Earth my love a a vehicle for the environmentally concerned that runs on five Industrial strength rubber bands wound up by a solar powered motor. A we thought seriously about the future of the planet and this is what we came up with a said team Leader Fumio Terao. Other entries a the tire free a shaking machine a year Are expected to exceed $130 million. The largest customer for . Breakfast cereals has been Canada and it is Likely to remain so the report said. In 1990, exports to Canada came to $38 million accounting for 45 percent of Cereal exports to All countries. Besides Canada other major markets and expected 1991 sales include the european Community up to $50 million the Caribbean up to $25 million Mexico $10 million saudi Arabia $9 million and Japan $2 million. A while a number of factors and unique circumstances Are responsible for the growth of each of these markets the role of tourism and the spread of Western tastes and eating habits seem to be a Central theme a the article said. A these effects can be . Tourists visit another country and bring their eating habits with them or when Consumers of another country visit the United states and Are exposed to . Breakfast  noting that a some asian buyers arc showing increased health consciousness and some countries prefer Sweet cereals a the article said . Exporters a May have greater Success by paying special attention to such taste  meanwhile the agriculture department estimated that world production of wheat for 1991-92 is estimated at 547.4 million tons Down 8 percent from last year. In a breakdown by country the november report on world agricultural production showed China leading in wheat production with a projected 96 million tons Down 2 percent from last years record crop. Next was the soviet Union where production was estimated at 78 million tons Down 28 percent from last year. The United states was expected to produce almost 54 million tons Down 28 percent from last year. Autos Bounce into reality annual idea olympics at a three legged experimental vehicle hops its Way around spectators saturday at the Toyota motor  annual event for unconventional designers. Which rests atop hundreds of Metal spikes that undulate upon command. The Wavelike motion of the spikes can be controlled to produce either Forward or reverse movement. Not for use on dirt roads after a rainstorm. A a motorized Rickshaw Complete with Black canopy that can be collapsed into a pedal powered bicycle so that the Driver can weave through traffic jams. A the special idea award Winner a Toyota ferry a a Rowboat on wheels. More than 5,000 entries were submitted for the contest which is organized by the 30,000-Membcr Toyota engineering society. Hyundai refuses to pay record tax penalty Seoul South Korea apr the founding family of the giant Hyundai conglomerate refused monday to pay a record $184 million tax claim setting the stage for a Complex Legal Battle Over its alleged illegal Stock trading. Chung jul Yung 75, honorary chairman of Korea s second largest business group called the penalty levied against him nine family members and several Hyundai subsidiaries  he said Hyundai could not afford the penalty and would Appeal the decision to the National tax arbitration and the Board of audit and inspection. The move represents a rare rift in the normally close relations Between the government and business magnates As president Roh Tae woo s conservative ruling party looks toward presidential and parliamentary elections in 1992. The National tax office issued an order nov. 1 for the Back taxes claiming Chung and nine family members illegally traded shares in Hyundai subsidiaries to evade inheritance and donations taxes. Chung one of the most influential business leaders in Korea said his group pays taxes and a never tried to evade taxes  he said his family had paid $35 million in taxes on trading the Stock in question. The Hyundai group includes 42 separate companies that had sales last year of $30 billion. Hyundai a worldwide Empire manufactures cars ships computers and has numerous construction projects. Chung has broken ranks with the South korean business leadership by raising his voice against the governments economic policies and against politicians themselves. He publicly opposed a Multi billion Dollar High Speed railway project promoted by Roh saying it was inefficient and expensive. Chung has also said a there Are no trustworthy