Date:    06/26/2000  3:09 PM

Subject: Comment re: File No. S7-24-99 - Short Selling Over-the-Count

I am Chairman of Astrex, Inc. (ASXI) and a large shareholder of the company. 
Astrex, Inc. is a small public company with $16.5MM is sales and has been 
profitable for four of the past five years.  Its common stock trades on the 
OTCBB and it has been an SEC reporting company for over a decade.
     
I write to support changing the present short selling rules so as to apply 
the same rules as regards short selling for both exchange listed and OTCBB 
SEC reporting companies.  I do not believe it fair that the OTCBB market for 
Astrex, Inc common stock seems to continually fixate on the one hand on 
speculations of market maker short selling manipulations and on the other 
hand, on organizing counter, defensive, manipulations amongst investors. 
Astrex, Inc. is a 'real', reporting company and though perhaps to small to 
warrant an exchange listing, it is still deserving of a credible market 
place for its securities.
     
Very truly yours,
John C Loring,
Chairman, Astrex, Inc.