Paris Markets Market Activity - Year-To-Date Trading Exceeds 1998 Total

Transaction volumes on the Premier Marché and Second Marché in October reached a daily average of EUR2.94 billion. As of October 29, volumes for 1999 stood at EUR568.30 billion, above last year's 12-month total of EUR513.48 billion and up 31.6% compared to the same period in 1998 ( EUR431.7 billion). The number of trades for the month was 5.3 million, while the total of 45.5 million trades for 1999 surpassed last year's total of 44.8 million and rose 27.1% from the 35.76 million recorded during the first 10 months last year. A total of EUR61.84 billion in French equities was traded during the month's 21 trading days. October's average 255,188 trades recorded daily marked a monthly increase of +7.6% compared to the September which had set a record. At month's end, capitalization of French equities on the Premier Marché, Second Marché and Nouveau Marché was EUR1,17 billion. With a daily average of EUR15.01 million in October, transaction volumes on Le Nouveau Marché were up +35.2% on a monthly basis and up +116% compared to October 1998. Daily average trading for the month showed an increase (+17%) compared to September, at 4,746 trades. The total number of trades for the month was 99,656. Paris Bourse SBF SA derivatives markets saw 14,947,519 lots change hands in October, a 18% decline from the previous month. The total for the year was 155 million, compared to 90 million for the whole of last year. A total of 14,653,046 equity and index derivatives contracts were traded as m 1.13 billion changed hands, with open interest showing a monthly increase of 23.6%. There were 275,420 fixed-interest and 19,053 commodity-futures contracts traded in October.