Eurex-HEX Alliance Starts in September - Nokia tradable on Eurex/ Launch of Dow Jones Nordic STOXX 30 and FOX indices

The alliance between Eurex, the German-Swiss derivatives exchange, and HEX, the Finnish derivatives exchange, will be implemented in several steps starting on September 27. The two exchanges made the announcement on Tuesday. This will represent a significant expansion of the Eurex network in the direction of northern Europe. The two exchanges reported that the alliance will be fully operative by October 15. The most important HEX products will then be traded on Eurex and the members of HEX will be Eurex members. Eurex CEO Dr. Jörg Franke said: "The alliance with HEX brings Eurex another step forward in its endeavor to link international markets." The alliance between the two exchanges will be launched on September 27 with stock options on equities like Nokia, UPM and Sonera. As of the same date, options and futures will also be launched on the FOX. This index comprises the largest Finnish stock corporations. In a second step, on October 4, 1999, futures and options will be offered on the new Dow Jones Nordic STOXX 30SM index. This new international blue chips index contains the largest northern European stock corporations from Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden. In the final step, 10 further stock options previously tradable at HEX will be added to the Eurex product range on October 15, 1999. Eurex and HEX had already signed the cooperation agreements regarding their future cooperation on April 9, 1999.