European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - April 27, 1994, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 14 the stars and stripes Money matters wednesday april 27, 1994 today s rates following arc fixed rates at which Community banking an credit Union facilities will sell for eign currencies to . Personnel for personal use British Pound 1.53 dutch Guilder 1.84 German Mark. 1.64 greek drachma. 241.5826 note the rates above apply within the hos 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 Curren cies -. " austrian Schilling. 11.8375 Bahrain Dinar 0.37675 belgian franc. 34.65 British Pound. 1.4897 Canadian Dollar. Danish Krone. 6.6066 dutch Guilder French franc 5.7755 German Mark 1.6812 italian lira 1,609.77 Kuwait Dinar 0.297 norwegian Krone. 7.308 portuguese escudo. 172.70 saudi rial 3.7498 Spanish peseta. 137.08 Swiss franc 1.436 turkish lira. 33,000.00 note figures Are expressed in dollars to the British Pound other currencies to the Dollar Gold it groups say Bonn Germany a Germany s six leading economic institutes have fore cast 1.5 percent growth in Germany this year and a gradual decline in the Mark s value in relation to the Dollar. The institutes in a biannual report is sued tuesday forecast economic growth of 1 percent in the Western German Stales and of 7.5 percent in former East Germany. But they cautioned that unemployment would remain High. The improvement in the economic situation clearly does not yet translate into conditions for powerful economic growth and High employment said the report bythe six institutes released in Bonn. Germany s Economy fell into its deepest Slough of the postwar Era last year with negative 1.1 percent growth including a 2 per cent decline in the 10 Western states. Brighter economic signs prompted Chan cellar Helmut Kohl to declare springtime in Germany last week. The forecasts have enabled Kohl to pull nearly even with social Democrat Rudolf Scharping in polls for the october elections. The government is predicting that unemployment will remain below its february Peak of 4 million but the Institute said they expected it to average 3.8 Mil lion throughout the year. The institutes said their growth fore cast was based on assumptions of Strong growth in other Industrial countries relatively unchanging Oil prices a falling Mark value to attract exports to the United states and German labor unions continued agreement to Low wage increases. The forecasts about the Mark go against recent trends. In february a Dollar bought 1.72 Marks at military banking , that Dollar buys 1.64 Marks. The six institutes that wrote the report Are the Institute for economic research Halle the Howwa Institute for economic research in Hamburg the world eco nomic Institute in Kiel the German Institute for economic research in Berlin the nor Rhein westfalen Institute for economic research in Essen and Munich s Ifo Institute for economic re search. Caterpillar strike starts Over Steward privileges Decatur 111. A about 1,400caterpillar inc. Workers walked off the Job tuesday to protest the company s revocation of a Union Steward s privileges. The strike began about 3 45 . When about 400 employees refused to report to work said Larry Solomon president of United Auto workers Union local 751. About 1,000 Day shift workers honoured the picket lines hours later a Union spokesman said. Solomon said the local Sentire membership of 1,700 was expected to join the strike by Day s end. Senate studies interstate Banks Washington up the Senate began debate monday on legislation aimed at lifting restrictions against interstate banking and allowing Banks to acquire or establish Banks in any state. Proponents say lifting such restrictions will promote Competition and stability provide for More efficient Banks make it More convenient for customers who Are now barred from making deposits in branches owned by out of state Banks and ensure better Protection against economic downturns. Sen. Donald Riegle the Michi Gan Democrat who is chairman of the Senate banking committee also said the Bill will Lessen the vulnerability of the Federal banking insurance  the Bill would allow Banks that Are adequately capitalized and managed to establish Banks in any state beginning one year after the legislation is enacted and allow a Bank holding company two years after enactment to Combine its subsidiaries in different states into a single Bank with branches. It allows Banks to establish a Branch in any state if authorized by state Law. But states would t e allowed to opt but of the inter state banking provisions