European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - August 01, 1993, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Sunday August 1, 1993 Money matters the stars and stripes Page 19 Dollar watch shown below Are the highest Dollar Exchange rates for the week of july 26 30 compared with Dollar rates for the same period one year and five years ago. German Mark one Dollar would buy you 1.70 ",1.45 1993 i 1992mmmbmmm my military Exchange rate British Pound one Pound would Cost you 1.52 5 1-71 belgian franc one Dollar would buy you dutch Guilder one Dollar would buy you 1.95 2.111.66 1993 1992 i French franc 1988 one Dollar would buy you 5.95 6-335.02 greek drachma one Dollar would buy you 230.65 177.79 150.25 1993 i o992 italian lira 1988 one Dollar would buy you 1,616 1129 1386 1993 Spanish peseta one Dollar would buy you 144.20 123.40 1993 turkish lira one Dollar would buy you 1j.516 7,048 1993 1992 i me to overseas interest rates expected to boost . Stock Market new York Apas Stock indicators scaled new Heights but failed to hold them this past week doubts intensified about the maturing Bull Market s ability to withstand increasingly lofty i attitudes. Still support for a continuing climb could come from abroad. Falling european inter est rates reflecting currency turmoil there probably will draw More Money into the . Stock Market. I think it s a plus for . Equities nor West corp s chief economist Sung won Sohn said. We already have seen quite a bit of foreign Money come into the United states and i think that pattern will Contin  a european currency crisis loomed late in the week after Germany s decision against lowering a key interest rate threat ened Europe s 14-year-old Exchange rate mechanism. The Erm is the Cornerstone of the european Community s plan to unify the currencies and Central Banks of its 12 nations by decade s end. Many american and foreign monetary experts have Long criticized the Erm As an artificial drag on european economies to its collapse they say Good  in their View its demise will remove a recessionary influence by giving governments greater Freedom to stimulate growth by Cut Ting interest rates making Money cheaper to borrow. David Hale chief economist at Kemper financial services inc., said the breakup of the Erm is very positive. A rally that develops for equities overseas eventually will spill Over into .  one obvious beneficiary of improving european economic conditions will be american multinational corporations which will enjoy enhanced profits once their foreign business picks up Hale said. Lower rates combined with economic weakness and political uncertainty in Europe will tend to depress the value of the German  franc and other eur american Exchange new York up the 10 most Active stocks i american Stock Exchange composite trading on Friday. Stock sum lit  Echo Bay mines 3,299,600 14v  Royal Oak mines 3,238,100 6 unch note Magnet Gen 557,400 16mi up Pegasus Gold 512,200 27v unc response tech 437,400 2h up3-18 a cml Gold mine 436,400 11v off fruit of loom 388,500 28v Otic Cheyenne softer 289,600 31v upv4hasbro inc. 272,800 my up h Siphar malnic 267,600 16. Up in Dow Jones new York Dpi Dow Jones closing Range of  on Friday no pfc Lew Clou chtnim30 industrials 3581.11 3515.72 3539.47 off 27.95 20 transport 1624.29 1592.87 161381 up 19.6615 utilities 251.65 248.48 250.07 off 0.79 65 stocks 1330.19 1306.64 1318.01 Oft 1.09 new York Exchange new York up the 15 most Tiv stocks in Newyork Stock Exchange composite trading on Friday. Stock Tifei Utt  Petra i 6,495,400 18 up Merck a co inc 4.571,500 3. Amid vicious dispute Over executive Berlin a the noisy feud be tween Volkswagen . And general motors corp. Headed to a quieter forum after Days of frenzied insults and a Public reprimand from Germany s economics minister. Vow  that its chairman Fer Dinand Piech had contacted pm chief executive Jack Smith. Piech also plans to talk with Smith Early this week the Ger Man company said. Pm has charged Cost cutting Whiz Jose Ignacio l6pez de Arr Ortua with stealing Industrial secrets when he defected to Volkswagen from the Detroit automaker in March. Lopez is the target of two criminal investigations in Germany. In statements issued from a vacation Retreat in his native Spain he has denied any wrong doing. Volkswagen has accused pm of waging economic warfare. The american company through its German subsidiary has called the allegations grotesque. In i statement Friday Volkswagen said Piech had contacted Smith to Dis cuss the matter without influencing  Piech suggested to meet with Jack Smith to discuss the relationship Between the two companies in the future the statement said. Piech looks Forward to speaking with Jack Smith next  germans Are unaccustomed to such vitriolic disputes among captains of Industry. The country s business Arena is an often cozy world of interlocking Compa Nies and polite Competition. Appearing on a popular consumer affairs program thursday night economics minister Ginter Rexroat said he was ready to act As a mediator Between the two sides. I deplore the Type of language now being used Rexroat said in reference to the insults likening up the slow summer period. The economics minister added if this dispute escalates then foreigners will. Gloat when they look at the German Auto  l6pez was general motors purchasing chief when he left for vow. He had drastically reduced prices paid to suppliers at pm and was hired by vow to do thl same. Justice department to study Case against Microsoft by the Washington Post Washington the Justice department has decided to review complaints of anti competitive practices by Microsoft corp., the nation s biggest manufacturer and marketeer of computer software and operating systems government sources said Friday. As a result of the review the depart ment s antitrust division could move to take Over the Case from the Federal Trade commission and file antitrust charges against Microsoft. Or the division could decide not to pursue the matter. Department sources confirmed Friday that the Etc which has been investigating the Case since 1991, turned Over its records on Microsoft the Day before in response to an antitrust division request. The decision by the department s anti Trust lawyers to review the Case is a set Back for Microsoft which has survived efforts by rivals to persuade the Etc to take action against the company. The decision also could Transfer a politically sensitive Issue into the hands of the Clinton administration. An antitrust Case against Microsoft could be seen As weakening one of the country s Strong global competitors. The Etc has deadlocked twice this year on whether to proceed against the software firm. One of the five commissioners Ros Coe b. Starek i recused himself from the Case resulting in 2-to-2 votes that prevented the Etc from acting