European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - December 12, 1992, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Saturday december 12, 1992 Money matters the stars and stripes b Page 17- today s rates following Are fixed rates at which Community banking and credit Union facilities will self foreign currencies to . Personnel for personal use German mark.1.54 British Pound.1.59 dutch guilder.1.73 greek drachma .201.6788 note the rates above apply within the Host country. Figures Are expressed in dollars to the British Pound other currencies to the Dollar following Are Interbank rates that fluctuate and should be regarded As the approximate value of the . Dollar to foreign currencies italian lira.1,402.20 turkish lira.8,299.80 Spanish peseta.112.97 portuguese escudo.141.96 austrian schilling.11.107 saudi rial.3.7494 Bahrain Dinar.0.37675 Kuwait Dinar. 0.30 norwegian krone.6.85 danish krone.6.15 British Pound. 1.56 German mark.1.5755 Swiss franc.1.4055 French franc.5.402 dutch guilder.1.7735 belgian franc.32.58 Canadian Dollar.1.2765 note figures Are expressed in dollars to the British Pound other currencies to the Dollar Gold quote $335.00 an ounce Silver quote $3.73 an ounce new York Exchange new York up a the 15 most Active stocks in new York Stock Exchange composite trading on thursday. Stock sales last net chg. First Chicago 7,107,500 33vi up % Nati Semi conduct 5,448,500 10% off 2v time Warner pfc 4,488,700 49 unch ism Coro 3,189,000 61% off Micera group 3,033,800 33% off 5% hospitality for 2,850,400 18% unch Kmart corp 2,593,400 25% off Glaxo holdings 2,566.300 25% off % fingerhut cos 2,324,300 30% Oil % at amp to company 2,035,500 48% off general motors 2,012,900 33% off 1 i progressive up 1,981,900 27% up % Chrysler corp 1,956,100 32% Oft Home shopping 1,938,100 7% up % Boeing  1,838,000 34% off % american Exchange new York up the 10 most Active stocks in american Stock Exchange composite trading thursday. Stock Salas last Nat chg. Amdahl corp 911,300 7% up Hill Haven Corn 908,100 3% up 3-16 expo rate  la 580,200 1 7-16 up 3-16 Echo Bay mines 456,000 4% unch Hasbro inc 331,900 33 off % Jan Bell mtg 309,900 20% off1% am exploration 294,300 1 11-16 up 1-16 Nabors Industry 275,300 6% up % us Bio science 265,200 11 % off % Iva corp 242,100 35% up % Dow Jones new York up a Dow Jones closing Range of averages thursday High Lew close change 30 industrials 3335.69 3285.17 3312.19 off 11.62 20 transport 1421.81 1397.03 1414.76 up 1.41 15 utilities 219.39 216.64 218.64 up 0.44 65 stocks 1202.76 1184.18 1195.73 Oft 1.52production of autos scheduled to increase Detroit apr automakers were scheduled to produce 272,477 cars and Light trucks in the United states and Canada this week up from last weeks 263,842, wards automotive reports said thursday. This weeks production is higher than the same week a year ago in which 245,561 cars and Light trucks were produced the Trade journal said. . Automakers were scheduled to make 132,434 cars this week compared with 130,207 a week ago and 126,507 in the same week in 1991. European cities less expensive than 6 months ago study finds Geneva apr the japanese cities of Tokyo and Osaka remain the most expensive for people who pay in dollars according to a Survey published thursday. However currency realignments have benefited expatriates in Europe and cities in Sweden Finland Britain Italy and Spain Are cheaper than they were six months ago. The Survey of 99 cities is published twice a year by a Geneva based private consulting firm corporate resources group. It is based on 151 products including food clothing and transport but not accommodations. New York is used As a base of 100. The Survey showed Tokyo to have an Index of 183, followed by Osaka at 171. At the other end of the scale the colombian capital of Bogota is cheapest at 67. Libreville in Gabon and Brazzaville in the Congo rank third and fourth at 139 and 138. Ltd three other cities in francophone Africa Are in the top 10, mainly because of the French Frances strength according to the Survey. West european countries Are still generally More expensive than the United states. However in Dollar terms the Cost of living in the swedish capital of Stockholm a once the most expensive european City a has fallen 13.2 percent in the past six months because of currency devaluations. London and Helsinki Finland Are 8 percent cheaper than last May the Survey said. Cost of living ratings for cities surveyed 1. Tokyo 103 2. Osaka Japan 171 3 Libreville Gabon 139 4. Brazzaville Congo 130 5. Oslo Norway 137 6. Dakar Senegal 132 7. Taipei Taiwan 130 8 Douala Cameroon 128 8. Copenhagen Denmark 128 10. Abidjan Ivory coast 127 10. Buenos Aires Argentina 127 12. Zurich Switzerland 126 13. Geneva 125 14. Moscow Russia 122 15. Vienna Austria 121 16. Pans 119 17. Seoul South Korea 110 17 Stockholm Sweden 118 19. Beijing China 116 19. Lome Togo 116 19 Hong Kong 116 19. Dublin Ireland 116 23. Luxembourg 115 24. Brussels Belgium 113 24 Lyon France 113 26. Munich Germany 112 27. Berlin Germany 111 27. Duesse Dort Germany 111 29 London 110 29. Hamburg Germany 110 31. Frankfurt Germany 109 31. Helsinki Finland 109 33 Shanghai China 108 33. Tel Aviv Israel 100 35. Milan 107 36. Madrid spam 106 36. Barcelona Spain. 106 36. Rome Italy 106 39. Singapore 105 39. Lisbon Portugal 105 41. Amsterdam Netherlands 103 42. Amman Jordan 102 43 Jeddah saudi Arabia. 101 44. New York 100 44. Leipzig Germany 100 44. Manama Bahrain. 100 47 Kuala Bumpur 99 48 Cairo Egypt 98 48 Montevideo Uruguay 98 48. Rio de Janeiro Brazil 98 51 Sao Paulo Brazil 97 51. Athens Greece 97 51. Jakarta Indonesia 97 54 san Juan puerto Rico 96 54. Washington d c., 96 54. Chicago 96 57. Dubai United Arab emirates 94 57. Abu Dahabi United Arab emirates 94 57 Newcastle England 94 57. Los Angeles 94 57 Houston 94 62 san Francisco. 93 62. Boston 93 62 Miami 93 62. Manila Philippines 93 66 Casablanca Morocco 92 60. Bangkok Thailand 92 68. Mexico City 90 68. Lagos Nigeria 90 68. Toronto Canada 90 7t. Tunis Tunisia 89 71 Sydney. Australia 89 71. Tehran Iran 89 71. Algiers Algeria 89 75. Melbourne Australia 88 75 St. Louis 88 75. Istanbul Turkey 88 78. Lima Peru 87 79. Nairobi Kenya 86 79. Guatemala City 86 79. Montreal 86 82. Brisbane. Australia 85 82. San Jose Costa rica 85 82. Vancouver Canada 85 82. Panama City 85 86 Prague Czechoslovakia 87. Karachi Pakistan 83 87. Budapest Hungary 83 87. Johannesburg South Africa 83 90. Calgary Canada 82 91. Santiago Chile 81 92. Caracas Venezuela 80 93. Warsaw Poland 79 94. Auckland new zealand 94. Harare Zimbabwe 74 94. Quito Ecuador 74 97. Asuncion Paraguay 73 98. Bombay India 70 99 Bogota Colombia 67 84 74 the norwegian capital of Oslo is now top of the list in Europe with a rating of 137. Paris is 5 percent More expensive than in May with an Index of 119. Cities in latin America Are cheaper than new York with the one exception of the argentinian capital of Buenos a amps Aires which has an Index of 127. In Asia the taiwanese capital Taipei with a ranking of 130, is the costliest after the two japanese cities. Seoul South Korea follows at 1 is. The Survey was updated to reflect Price and currency changes As of monday. Sailors face cigarette shortage in Italy by j. King Cruger Mediterranean Bureau Naples Italy a smokers supplied by . Navy outlets in Italy soon May be sucking air or paying As much As $37 a pack. A the Navy exchanges in Italy have or within Days will run completely out of cigarettes a said the Navy Exchange service Center Europe commander capt. Nat Malcolm on Friday. Italy has been in the grip of a National strike against the state tobacco monopoly for nearly six weeks. Workers at the monopoly which distributes foreign cigarettes and manufactures Domestic brands Are angry with the italian governments plan to sell huge chunks of the state owned tobacco Industry. Privatization could Lead to layoffs As new owners seek to make their purchases More profitable. A the ongoing strikes by the italian cigarette control agencies have precipitated this crisis for Navy sales outlets in two ways a Malcolm said. A one by making cigarettes a scarce commodity throughout Italy causing an increase in demand and two by delaying clearance of containers and thus the Normal  the Navy Exchange in Naples had fewer than 200 Cartons of cigarettes in Stock at noon Friday. A a that Sall there is a Malcolm said. Earlier this week the Navy Exchange in Naples tightened controls on cigarette sales and began limiting customers to no More than two Cartons per Purchase. Not surprisingly sales were brisk Friday. A word must be getting around because business has been fairly steady a said Beverly Medley who is a Navy Exchange cashier in Naples As she looked Over the near depleted shelves in the tobacco sales area. All cigarettes sold in . Military outlets in Italy Are manufactured in the United states where cigarettes Are individually stamped to reflect that they Are under the control of the italian state monopoly. When containers of the american made cigarettes teach Italy they must be cleared from the port of entry by a sub Agency of the monopoly. That a where the Kink in the Navy a pipeline is. Containers full of cigarettes a a Normal two month Supply for Naples Nas Simonella Sicily and the naval support office at la Maddalena Sardinia a have been stuck in the port of Naples since last month Malcolm said. A depending on the Good offices of italian clearance agents containers in port could be released Early next week or not until Early january a he said. To Cope with the cigarette problem Malcolm has asked the . Embassy in Rome for help and is trying to accelerate future deliveries. When and if the tobacco containers Are released from the port italian police will escort the containers to Exchange facilities to prevent hijacking Malcolm said. Tobacco outlets at Aviano a and Vicenza both in Northern Italy and at san Vito Dei Normanna air station in Eastern Italy reported few if any shortages of tobacco stocks. It was unclear Why the air Force and army facilities were not experiencing shortages. The strike has had a dramatic effect on this nation of 57 million people a 12 million of whom smoke. And bootlegged cigarettes have sold for astronomical prices particularly in Sicily. A Trumor has it that american Brand cigarettes have been Selling for As much As 50,000 lira about $37 a pack on the local Economy a said it. Mark Mccaffrey the spokesman for Nas Simonella Sicily. A one of my Petty officers had her Doorbell rung by a Well dressed Man in a business suit who asked her for a  retail sales up As Christmas buying grows Washington a retail sales Rose a modest 0.4 percent in november the government said Friday but it was the fifth consecutive monthly gain and suggested increased spending . Holiday buying is considered crucial to sustaining economic growth which has shown signs of picking up in recent weeks. Retail purchases represent roughly a third of economic activity and Many retailers record about half of their sales in the weeks before Christmas. The Commerce department said november sales totalled a seasonally adjusted $165.8 billion. Also the department raised its estimate of october a increase to 1.9 percent a the biggest Advance in nine months and More than double an initial estimate of 0.9 percent. Sales during both months appear stronger than economists expected. Still they said sales for the rest of the year probably will look Good Only in comparison with the past two years not when compared to sales during the Boom years of the 1980s. A a there a nowhere to head but up just because sales have been at such a Low level for so Long a said economist Paul Getman of regional financial associates in West Chester a