THE FREE AND CLEAR PRESS

[thepennyking]

American Stock Exchange Reports Increase in Short Interest

NEW YORK, March 19 /PRNewswire/ -- The American Stock Exchange(R)
(Amex(R)) member and non-member organizations today reported short interest of
955,673,957 shares as of the March 15 settlement date, an increase of
72,223,184 from the 883,450,773 (adjusted) shares reported in mid-February.
The March figure represents trades through March 10, 2004.
In the year ago period, short interest totaled 495,054,867 (adjusted).
The March short interest position reflects short interest reported by all
broker-dealers (not only Amex member firms) in Amex-listed stocks. A short
position of 5,000 or more shares existed in 615 of the approximately 799
issues traded at the Exchange. Some short position was shown in 927 issues.
The attached short interest report was compiled by the Amex on the basis
of information obtained from its member and non-member organizations covering
all securities dealt in on the Exchange on both round and odd-lots.

Short interest for the preceding 12 months is shown below:

February 13,2004 883,450,773 (A) August 15, 2003 727,998,891 (A)
January 15, 2004 846,984,988 (A) July 15, 2003 661,282,482 (A)
December 15, 2003 833,014,348 (A) June 13, 2003 603,038,096 (A)
November 14, 2003 803,971,080 (A) May 15, 2003 543,255,369 (A)
October, 15, 2003 811,500,853 (A) April 15, 2003 467,101,875 (A)
September 15, 2003 742,116,249 (A) March 14, 2003 495,054,867 (A)

Changes in The Amex's Short Interest Reporting:
Please be advised that there is a new way of accessing short interest
information for the Amex through www.amextrader.com. Access to the site will
be in addition to the standard Amex press release on short interest.
Interested members of the media must contact Eleanor Henry at the Amex in
advance by phone at 212-306-1529 or email at [e-mail] to obtain an ID
and password to access the site on www.amextrader.com. This page will be
available only to registered members of the media. The report will be
available by 2:00 p.m. on the publication date.

The American Stock Exchange(R) (Amex(R)) is the only primary exchange that
offers trading across a full range of equities, options and exchange traded
funds (ETFs), including structured products and HOLDRS(SM). In addition to
its role as a national equities market, the Amex is the pioneer of the ETF,
responsible for bringing the first domestic product to market in 1993.
Leading the industry in ETF listings, the Amex lists 138 ETFs. The Amex is
also one of the largest options exchanges in the U.S., trading options on
broad-based and sector indexes as well as domestic and foreign stocks. For
more information, please visit www.amex.com.

SOURCE The American Stock Exchange

/CONTACT: Media - Lynn Teresky of the American Stock Exchange,
[phone], [e-mail]/

/Web site: http://www.amex.com /