Equant Equity Options Launched In Paris

On September 27, ParisBourseSBF SA will launch two new equity options based on Equant, a company first listed on the monthly settlement compartment of the Premier Marché on July 21, 1998. Equant has been a component stock of the CAC40 index since July 20, 1999. Owner and operator of the world's largest telecommunications network for multinational companies in over 200 countries, Equant N.V. is a Dutch company. In July 1998 it chose the Paris Bourse for its European listing, while simultaneously floating on the New York Stock Exchange. This was followed between January 26 and February 11, 1999 by the largest ever offering of shares for safe by a foreign company listed on the Paris Bourse; 70% of the new shares, representing EUR 2.3 billion, were placed in France. Since January 1999, daily trading in Equant shares has averaged EUR 31 million, while market capitalization stood at EUR 16.87 billion on August 31, 1999. The two new contracts are a short-term American-style option that can be exercised any time up to maturity, and a long-term European-style option to be traded in the multiple call-auction group. Trading lots for both are 10 5hares of the underlying asset. Equant N.V. is the 52nd listed company represented by short and long-term equity options listed on derivatives markets operated by ParisBourseSBF SA. The new contracts raise the number of equity options traded in Paris to 93. Only five CAC 40 component stocks - CAP Gemini, Legrand, Renault, STMicroelectronics and Valé0 - are not represented by equity options.