European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - January 30, 1994, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 20 the stars and stripes Money matters Dollar watch shown below Are the highest Dollar Exchange rates for the week of Jan. 24-28 compared with Dollar rates for the same period one year and five years ago. German Mark one Dollar would buy you 1.57 1994 i 1993 military Exchange rate British Pound one Pound would Cost you 1.77 1.53 .1 -55 1994 1993 belgian franc 1989 one Dollar would buy you 36.50 33.01 38-88 1994 dutch Guilder 1.91 one Dollar would buy you 2.08 1.76 1994 French franc one Dollar would buy you 5.95 5.44 6.29 1993 greek drachma one Dollar would buy you 244.63 209.44 153.15 1994 italian lira one Dollar would buy you r 481 1,353 j3su spa Nash peseta one Dollar would buy you 143.05 113.90 114.70 1994 i turkish lira one Dollar would buy you 17,215 8,738 1994 1993 i v sunday january 30,1994 . Posts Best or in 6 years for 4th Quarter  4 14 a _ _ _ in n a f m t c of by Karen Rothmyer newday a year ago when president Clinton made his first major economic address tothe nation Federal  Board chairman Alan Greenspan had the sea of Honor next to the president s wife. Fri Day s report that the Economy finished1993 with a Strong 5.9 percent fourth Quarter growth rate suggests Clinton was right to look to Greenspan As a crucial Allya.  r. Both the fed whose actions kept Short term interest rates Low and the White House which produced a plan for trimming the deficit were credited by experts for the Economy s performance which amounted to a 2.9 percent increase in the Gross Domestic product for All of .1993.the growth rate during the fourth Quarter was the Best for the . Econ omy in six years. That 5,9 percent figure represents the nation s economic growth if sustained at that Pace for four straight quarters. Meanwhile the actual full year growth was the Bestin five years. The Gross Domestic product is the value of All goods and services produce within . Border. A Strong part of what has happened is the business Cycle said Mark Gertler an economics professor anew York univer sity. But part of it Greenspan was also the Federal Reserve Board s maintaining Low interest rates. And tothe extent that Clinton s budget package helped the administration deserves some credit  Stock Market buoyed by the Good economic news soared to new highs. The Dow Jones Industrial average Rose More than 19 Points to close at a record 3,945.43.the Commerce department noted that a full 2 percentage Points of the 5.9percent october december increase were attributable to one time factors re lated mainly to the economic Bounce Back from last summer s droughts and floods. But that did t detract from some obvious strengths in the  consumer spending for exam ple increased by 4 percent for the Quarter aided by a 14.3 percent surge in Pur chases of autos and other big ticket items. A housing construction spurred by mortgage rates near 25-year lows advanced at a 31.7 percent rate while Busi Ness investment in new buildings and equipment advanced by 21 percent. Whether such trends Are sustainable remains to be seen. New natural disasters in the form of the California earthquake and Winter storms could have a negative Impact on the first Quarter. For the most part though experts be Lieve growth in 1994 will match or exceed the Clinton administration s estimate of 3 percent. Bank Sale Continental Bank corp. Of Chicago seen at left will be acquired by Baniameri Cacor. In a Cash and Stock Deal valued at $1.9 billion. San Francisco based ban America said Friday it signed an agreement to Purchase Continental the nation s 33rd largest banking company. The value of the Deal was based on ban America s closing Stock Price thursday of $45.75 a  said the merger would allow it to strengthen its presence incorporate banking which is Continental s specially. The combined Banks assets would total about $209.6billion, creating the nation s second largest banking company after Citicorp of new York. Study takes Stock of customer services a Washington a financial markets Are generally healthy but should improve How they treat investors and Deal with Competition according to a Long awaited report by Federal regulators of the Stock markets. The securities and Exchange commis Sion s Market 2000 study in the works since 1992, stressed the need to ensure the Best Deal for investors at the Best Price through Competition among the exchanges and other Market venues. The driving Force is that we think the interest of customers should always come first and that markets should be designed to make sure that customers get the Best Price for their securities and the design of the markets should work to their advantage not to their disadvantage said Brandon Decker head of the Sec s Divi Sion of Market regulation which con ducted the study within that context Becker told re porters at a briefing Competition is a very valuable tool so Long As it s fair Competition to invigorate change and provide investors with a Range of choir  to meet their double edged goal of protecting investors while making the markets More efficient and thus More competitive the Market 2000 study recommended new York Exchange new York up York Slock Exchange Stock Ontl Bank corp Daimler Benz Tel Fonos de a Wal Mart stores ban America scientific at Citicorp Merck & co inc Amer express co Sunshine mining us surgical Chanson Pic Chrysler corp get co Home depot inc the 15 most Active stocks in new composite trading Friday. Sales list 4,846,600 34 4,607.100 47 3.955,500 72v 3,343,700 26tt 3,340,500 45tt 2,918,300 27tt 2,685,900 43v 2,650.800 36 2,465,900 32tt 2.478,700 2vi 2,464,900 30v4 2,319,100 21v 2,250,600 59tt 2,210,900 34v4 2.105,700 39tt net  6v up /4up v. Up i off off 3tt up1v4 up 1/4uptt unch Urvi us a Offutt offwup7a making More trading data available to the Public including a shift from using fractions to Decimals in Stock quotations. Making it easier for new York Stock Exchange member firms to Trade nose listed stocks after regular trading hours. Simplifying procedures for Compa Nies to remove their Stock from listing on theyse. Requiring better record keeping and disclosure by the nontraditional trading systems known As off Exchange or Auto mated trading systems without imposing the same regulations that Monitor traditional brokers. American Exchange new York a Typo the 10 mos Active stocks i american Stock Exchange composite trading Friday. Stock sales Tut  Bay mines Chambers Oev Energy service Royal Oak min Samdahl corp Cheyenne  charter med cup Chiles offshore Hasbro inc Era 877,900 681,300596,700 493,800 490.800 470,500 468.600 456,700 446,500 391,900 13 4v4 39-1649-16 7