GLOBAL EQUITY OFFERINGS RISING AT RECORD RATES
Cross border stock market investment is
rising at unprecedented rates, seeking a high return and
diversification, Charles Lillis, associate director of <Merrill
Lynch Europe Ltd>, a subsidiary of Merrill Lynch and Co Inc
<MER.N>, said.
    He told an international equities seminar here that global
equity offerings amounted to 3.7 billion dlrs in the first
quarter, compared with 11.4 billion dlrs in all of last year
and 4.1 billion dlrs in 1985.
    He said most new issues would come from countries with
underdeveloped potential, such as  France and Italy.
 Reuter
