American Stock Exchange to Trade Options on Seven Securities

American Stock Exchange to Trade Options on Seven Securities



NEW YORK, Feb. 17  /PRNewswire/ -- The American Stock Exchange(R) (Amex(R))
will launch trading in options on Friday, February 18, 2005 on the following
American Stock Exchange, Nasdaq Stock Market and New York Stock Exchange listed
stocks of:

   * Bucyrus International, Inc.  (Stock Symbol: BUCY/Option Symbol: HBU)

   * Imergent, Inc. (Symbol: IIG)

   * Ionatron, Inc. (Stock Symbol: IOTN/Option Symbol: QVM)

   * Meridian Bioscience, Inc. (Stock Symbol: VIVO/Option Symbol: ZUG)

   * Nuvelo, Inc. (Stock Symbol: NUVO/Option Symbol: CDQ)

   * W&T Offshore, Inc. (Symbol: WTI)

   * WellChoice, Inc. (Symbol: WC)



Bucyrus International, Inc. will open with strike prices of 35 - 40 - 45 and
position limits of 2,250,000 shares.  The options will trade on the January
expiration cycle with initial expirations in March, April, July and October.
The specialist will be LaBranche Structured Products, LLC. Bucyrus
International, Inc. designs, manufactures, and markets large excavation
machinery used for surface mining.

Imergent, Inc. will open with strike prices of 22-1/2 - 25 - 30 and position
limits of 1,350,000 shares.  The options will trade on the January expiration
cycle with initial expirations in March, April. July and October. The
specialist will be Bowery Specialist Group, LLC.  Imergent, Inc. is a
technology and training company delivering electronic services to small
business and entrepreneurs.

Ionatron, Inc. will open with strike prices of 7-1/2 - 10 - 12-1/2 and position
limits of 3,150,000 shares.  The options will trade on the January expiration
cycle with initial expirations in March, April, July and October. The
specialist will be Bowery Specialist Group, LLC.  Ionatron, Inc. developed and
tested a proprietary new directed energy weapon technology.

Meridian Bioscience, Inc. will open with strike prices of 15 - 17-1/2 - 20 and
position limits of 1,350,000 shares.  The options will trade on the January
expiration cycle with initial expirations in March, April, July and October.
The specialist will be TANSTAAFL Research & Trading, LLC.  Meridian Bioscience,
Inc. manufactures, markets and distributes diagnostic test kits, purified
reagents, and related products.

Nuvelo, Inc. will open with strike prices of 5 - 7-1/2 - 10 and position limits
of 2,250,000 shares.  The options will trade on the January expiration cycle
with initial expirations in March, April. July and October. The specialist will
be Wolverine Trading, LP.  Nuvelo, Inc. researches and develops novel
biopharmaceutical products form its proprietary gens discovers using its
screening-by-hybridization platform.

W&T Offshore, Inc. will open with strike prices of 17-1/2 - 20 - 22-1/2 and
position limits of 1,350,000 shares.  The options will trade on the January
expiration cycle with initial expirations in March, April. July and October.
The specialist will be Kellogg Capital Group, LLC.  W&T Offshore, Inc. is an
independent oil and natural gas company focused primarily on the Gulf of Mexico
area in the United States.

WellChoice, Inc. will open with strike prices of 50 - 55 - 60 and position
limits of 2,250,000 shares.  The options will trade on the January expiration
cycle with initial expirations in March, April. July and October. The
specialist will be AGS Specialists, LLC.  WellChoice, Inc. provides health
insurance to its member in New York and New Jersey.

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 HOLDRSSM. 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 145 ETFs to date. 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. 

DATASOURCE: The American Stock Exchange



CONTACT: Mary Chung, American Stock Exchange, [phone],

 



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

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