North Fork to Increase Its Common Share Repurchase Program by an Additional 12 Million Shares

North Fork Bancorporation, Inc. (NYSE: NFB) announced
that its Board of Directors approved an increase to its previously
announced share repurchase program by an additional 12 million shares
bringing the total authorized for repurchase to approximately 28
million shares. To date, the Company has repurchased 14.7 million
shares under the program at an average price of $26.19.
   The common stock repurchase program will be done from time to time
in open market or through private transactions, subject to market
conditions. The repurchased shares will be used for general corporate
purposes.
   North Fork is a regional bank holding company headquartered in New
York with approximately $58 billion in assets conducting commercial
and retail banking from 353 branch locations in the Tri-State area
with a complementary national mortgage banking business.