American Stock Exchange to Trade Options on Four Securities

American Stock Exchange to Trade Options on Four Securities 


NEW YORK, Jan. 9  /PRNewswire/ -- The American Stock Exchange(R) (Amex(R)) will
launch trading in options on Monday, January 12, 2004 on the following Nasdaq
Stock Market and New York Stock Exchange listed stocks of:

   -- BioLase Technology, Inc. (Option Symbol: BQF/Stock Symbol: BLTI)
   -- Coeur D'Alene Mines Corporation (Symbol: CDE)
   -- Nanogen, Inc.  (Option Symbol: QEM/Stock Symbol: NGEN)
   -- PetroChina Company Limited, American Depositary Shares (Symbol: PTR)



BioLase Technology, Inc. options open with position limits of 60,000 contracts. 
The options will trade on the March expiration cycle.  The specialist will be
LaBranche Structured Products, LLC. BioLase Technology, Inc. manufactures and
markets laser dental, cosmetic, aesthetic and surgical systems.

Coeur D'Alene Mines Corporation options open with position limits of 75,000
contracts.  The options will trade on the March expiration cycle.  The
specialist will be Charlton Specialist Partners LLC.  Coeur D'Alene Mines
Corporation, through its subsidiaries, explores, develops, operates and/or owns
silver and gold mining properties and companies.

Nanogen, Inc. options open with position limits of 75,000 contracts.  The
options will trade on the March expiration cycle.  The specialist will be
Susquehanna Investment Group.  Nanogen, Inc. integrates advanced
microelectronics and molecular biology into a platform technology with
commercial applications.

PetroChina Company Limited options open with position limits of 31,500
contracts.  The options will trade on the March expiration cycle.  The
specialist will be Tanstaafl Research & Trading, LLC.  PetroChina Company
Limited explores, develops and produces crude oil and natural gas.

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 124 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: American Stock Exchange



CONTACT:  Media - Lynn Teresky of the American Stock Exchange,

[phone],  



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

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