FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                  98-88


Washington, D.C., September 18, 1998


                         Media Advisory      

What:    Lori Richards, Director of the Office of Compliance
         Inspections and Examinations, and Gene Gohlke, Associate
         Director, will conduct a media briefing on the findings
         and policy recommendations contained in a new report on
         soft dollar practices in the securities industry.

         Soft dollars are the part of the brokerage commission that
         is used by investment advisers to purchase research and
         other products.

         The report summarizes findings from a series of
         inspections of broker-dealers, investment advisers, and
         mutual funds, and contains the staff's recommendations
         arising from those findings.

When:    Tuesday, September 22, 1998; 10:00 a.m.

Where:   Securities and Exchange Commission
         450 Fifth Street, NW
         Washington, DC
         Room 1C50

Embargo: The information from the briefing will be embargoed
         until 12:00 noon the same day (Tuesday, September 22,
         1998)

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