BIZWATCH : MARKETS.

MARKET LOGIC: The Dow Jones industrial average plowed to another new high Monday, outpacing broader stock measures. The Dow rose 123.22 to 7,292.75, with IBM and Hewlett-Packard leading the charge past last Tuesday's record close of 7,225.32.

MEMO

AHMANSON TO BUY GREAT WESTERN SHARES: H.F. Ahmanson & Co., whose takeover offer was rebuffed by Chatsworth-based Great Western, said Monday it plans to start acquiring outstanding Great Western shares from that company's stockholders. The parent company of Home Savings of America announced it is filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission documents relating to an exchange offer for all outstanding shares of Great Western Financial Corp., which operates Great Western Bank.Under the exchange offer, stockholders would receive 1.2 shares of Ahmanson stock for each Great Western share of common stock, representing a value of $47.25 per share.

?13- City News Service

JEWELER FILES CHAPTER 11: Barry's Jewelers Inc., a Monrovia-based retailer with stores in 11 states, said Monday it filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy Sunday protection and expects to reorganize in time for the crucial Christmas shopping season. Thirty-four unprofitable or underperforming stores have been closed under a program to improve the chain's competitiveness and profitability, the company said.

Using the Chapter 11 process now should allow Barry's Jewelers to obtain sufficient inventory for the holiday season, said Sam Merksamer, who became chief executive officer in February. The company operates 130 retail jewelry stores in California, Texas, Arizona, Utah, Colorado, Michigan, Indiana, Ohio, Montana, North Carolina and South Carolina.

?13- Associated Press

GAS PRICES DROP AGAIN: Gasoline prices dipped an average half-cent per gallon over two weeks in the fifth consecutive month of declines, an industry analyst in Camarillo said Sunday. The overall price of gasoline, including all grades and taxes, was 126.73 cents per gallon in Friday's Lundberg Survey of 10,000 gas stations, said publisher Trilby Lundberg.

At self-service pumps, the average nationwide price of gasoline, including taxes, was 121.45 cents for unleaded regular, 131.55 cents for mid-grade and 139.71 cents for premium. At full-serve pumps, regular was 157.42 cents, midgrade was 165.89 cents and premium was 172.81 cents.

Newbury Park-based maker of analog semiconductors

(The company is in fiscal 1998. Hence, the table shows 1998 vs. 1997.)

April 1st Qtr. 1998 1997

Sales $20.4 million $15.5 million

Net Income (Loss) $2.8 million $1.9 million

Earnings Per Share 42 cents 30 cents

Demand for all products improved dramatically in the company's first fiscal quarter.

CAPTION(S):

2 Charts

Chart: (1--Color) DOW INDUSTRIALS

(2--Color) BIZ FACTS

HIGH LIVIN'

Cost of selected luxury items, 1996

Knight-Ridder Tribune Graphics Network