Press

Eurex, the joint German-Swiss derivatives market, is launching five new stock options on September 20. This was announced by the world's largest derivatives market on Monday. In addition to Adecco, the new Swiss Market Index stock, and the future DAX German blue chip Fresenius Medical Care (Fresenius is replacing Hoechst AG in the DAX as of 09/20/99 as a result of the Hoechst merger with Rhône-Poulenc), options on Neuer Markt equities will also be traded for the first time. The selection of stock options tradable at Eurex will be ex-panded to Consors Discount-Broker AG, EM. TV & Merchandising AG and Mobilcom AG. The Neuer Markt companies Consors and EM. TV have also been included in the Dow-Jones Euro STOXX and Dow-Jones STOXX indices effective September 20, 1999.

"We're launching the stock options on Neuer Markt shares in response to the demand from our market participants and the increased importance of this market segment in the public eye. Exchanges have to offer their participants simple and cost-effective access to as many attractive, high-liquidity products as possible," Eurex CEO Dr. Jörg Franke said.

The trading hours, transaction fees and parameters for market making for the new options on the four German equities will be analogous to those of the existing German stock options, with terms of up to 12 months. By the same token, the Adecco AG share options will be designed like the existing Swiss stock option contracts, with terms of up to 9 months.