Press Releases

THE NOBLE FINANCIAL GROUP'S DIRECTOR OF RESEARCH PICKS "TOP PERFORMER" IN WALL STREET JOURNAL STOCK PICKERS' CONTEST

Contact: Mark Hopkinson 561/ 750-9800 x14
Email: mhopkinson@TransMediagroup.com

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
BOCA RATON, FLORIDA. FEB. 18, 2000 - The Wall Street Journal has reported that Peter van Hengel, The Noble Financial Group's, Director of Research, has picked the "top performer" in a long-running contest of the best stock picks of professional investment managers versus stocks selected randomly by Wall Street Journal editors.

It's called Experts Versus The Darts, a recurring six-monthly contest in which Wall Street Journal Editors throw darts randomly at the stock pages of the Journal, pitting the stocks chosen randomly in this way against the considered choices of professional money managers.

While the overall group of experts lost against the darts, van Hengel's choice of Nokia, the cellular telephone maker, gained 132.2 % in the period, outpacing the dartboard portfolio, the choices of each of his peers as well as the stock picks of four Wall Street Journal readers who had been selected by the Journal.

Based on the stellar returns of his stock pick, The Wall Street Journal has invited Van Hengel back for another round of competition against the darts in a new six-month competition ending July 31, which will again pit the pros against darts and readers of the national paper.

Commenting on the results, Nico P. Pronk, President of The Noble Financial Group said, "We are delighted as this is yet another fine example of the quality of our investment research."

Peter van Hengel is The Noble Financial Group's highly regarded Director of Research. A widely respected expert in macroeconomics, van Hengel has a unique understanding of how to convert financial news and developments into positive opportunities for investors. Prior to concentrating on international and US stocks, he worked in Amsterdam and London, specializing in futures and currencies.

The Noble Financial Group and its affiliate companies provide full-service retail brokerage, investment banking and corporate finance services as well as private investment management to high net worth clientele. A respected in-house research department supports the units. It is currently undertaking an ambitious plan to further expand its reach by bringing more independent brokerages under its umbrella. For more information about The Noble Financial Group on the Internet, visit www.noblefinancialgroup.com.