American Stock Exchange to Trade Options on Nine Securities

American Stock Exchange to Trade Options on Nine Securities 


NEW YORK, March 24  /PRNewswire/ -- The American Stock Exchange(R) (Amex(R))
will launch trading in options on Monday, March 28, 2005 on the following
Nasdaq Stock Market and New York Stock Exchange listed stocks of:

   * Aleris International, Inc. (Symbol: ARS)
   * Companhia Siderurgica Nacional S.A. (Symbol: SID)
   * eSPEED, Inc. (Stock Symbol: ESPD/Option Symbol: ENU)
   * Internet Capital Group, Inc. (Stock Symbol: ICGE/Option Symbol: GYQ)
   * Sensient Technologies Corporation (Symbol: SXT)
   * Syneron Medical Ltd. (Stock Symbol: ELOS/Option Symbol: QOE)
   * Todco (Symbol: THE)
   * VCA Antech, Inc. (Stock Symbol: WOOF/Option Symbol: QWF)
   * Walter Industries, Inc. (Symbol: WLT)



Aleris International, Inc. will open with position limits of 2,500,000 shares.
The options will trade on the February expiration cycle. The specialist will be
TANSTAAFL Research & Trading, LLC. Aleris recycles aluminum and zinc, as well
as manufactures common-alloy sheets from recycled aluminum.

Companhia Siderurgica Nacional S.A. will open with position limits of 7,500,000
shares. The options will trade on the March expiration cycle. The specialist
will be TANSTAAFL Research & Trading, LLC. Companhia Siderurgica Nacional S.A.
manufactures iron and steel in Brazil.

eSPEED, Inc., will open with position limits of 7,500,000 shares. The options
will trade on the February expiration cycle. The specialist will be Charlton
Specialist Partners, LLC. eSPEED develops and deploys electronic marketplaces
and related trading technology that offers traders access to financial markets.

Internet Capital Group, Inc. will open with position limits of 25,000,000
shares. The options will trade on the January expiration cycle. The specialist
will be Wolverine Trading, L.P. Internet Capital Group, Inc. is an Internet
holding company primarily involved in managing and operating a network of
business-to-business e-commerce companies.

Sensient Technologies Corporation will open with position limits of 5,000,000
shares. The options will trade on the January expiration cycle. The specialist
will be Group One Trading, L.P. Sensient Technologies Corporation supplies
colors, flavors and fragrances.

Syneron Medical Ltd. will open with position limits of 7,500,000 shares. The
options will trade on the March expiration cycle. The specialist will be
Susquehanna Investment Group. Syneron Medical Ltd. designs, develops and
markets aesthetic medical products based on proprietary Electro-Optical
Synergy, or ELOS technologies.

Todco will open with position limits of 5,000,000 shares. The options will
trade on the March expiration cycle. The specialist will be Group One Trading,
L.P. Todco provides contract drilling services in the United States Gulf Coast
area.

VCA Antech, Inc. will open with position limits of 5,000,000 shares. The
options will trade on the March expiration cycle. The specialist will be AGS
Specialists, LLC. VCA Antech, Inc. owns, operates and manages a network of free
standing veterinary hospitals and veterinary-inclusive clinical laboratories in
the US.

Walter Industries, Inc. will open with position limits of 7,500,000 shares. The
options will trade on the March expiration cycle. The specialist will be
Susquehanna Investment Group. Walter Industries, Inc. is a diversified company
with major interests in homebuilding/financing and industrial operations.

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 155 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 http://www.amex.com/ . 

DATASOURCE: American Stock Exchange



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

 



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

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