ADVISORY/Coming Euro Strengthens Dollar.

Business Editors

ADVISORY...

--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 6, 2001

TOPIC: The approaching introduction of the Euro has sent millions of dollars in
traditional European currency flooding into banks, which may be having a
positive effect on the U.S. dollar, according to economists in a story by the
New York Times. Beginning Jan. 1, German marks and the currencies of 11 other
European countries will be replaced by euros and by March, they will no longer
be accepted as legal tender by retailers, the story said. Because of anxieties
about the euro, and the fact that euro currency and coins are not yet
available, billions of German marks have been changed into dollars, the story
said. According to the story, much of the conversion may have involved huge
sums of German cash held in Central Europe and the Balkans by local mafias.
EXPERTS: ExpertSource can offer several highly qualified experts to comment on
this story:

Prof. James Smith is a Professor of Finance at the Kenan-Flagler Business School at the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill. His expertise includes forecasting, foreign exchange, the Federal Reserve and the Euro. In June he was elected co-chair of the European Council of Economists for a two year term. It is based in Brussels. 919/962-3176

Mr. Gerhard Weisschaedel joined Veronis, Suhler International Limited from Deutsche Telekom Medien, its publishing and multimedia division, where he was chief executive officer for the past four years. Prior he was CEO of CTS (Computer Ticket Services) in Munich, the fastest-growing ticketing service in Germany. PR: Allan Ripp 212/721-7468; [e-mail]

As a former banker and now a professor international finance at Brandeis University, Jane Hughes's expertise is in the fields of global banking and finance. She has worked in foreign exchange forecasting and management for nearly two decades, as a banker and now as a consultant. She teaches courses in foreign exchange markets, international banking and international financial management. 781/736-2246

ExpertSource cannot guarantee the immediate availability of these experts or their familiarity with this specific issue.

ExpertSource, a collaboration of Business Wire and The Round Table Group, provides academic and industry experts to the media at no charge. Journalists are encouraged to submit queries to ExpertSource when seeking experts on specific subjects. An online registration form is available at http://www.businesswire.com/expertsource.

Business Wire's Media Resource Center provides working journalists many free media services. Please visit the BW Media Resource Center at (www.businesswire.com/media) for more information.