Amex, OTC Advance On Interest Peak Hopes
NEW YORK, May 1(AP)ÛÓ Hope that interest rates might have reached their peak fueled rallies on the American Stock Exchange and the over-the-counter market today, brokers said.</br></br>The Amex market-value index climbed sharply in the last hour of trading to close up .96 at 90.67 on a volume of 1.86 million shares. Advances outpaced declines 444 to 240, with 279 stocks steady. A total of eight blocks over</br></br>On the ovei'-the-counter market, the NASDAQ composite index gained .77 to end at 87.63 on a volume of 5.21 million shares. Advances swamped declines 608 to 317 among 2,711 issues traded.</br></br>Leading trading on the Amex was Marinduque Mining B, off 14 at 4%; Syntex, up % at 5014; and Buttes Gas, up 2% to 21%. Frigi-tronic picked up % to 13%.</br></br>Oil stocks generally improved with Houston Oil & Minerals up 3% to 41%, Dome Petroleum ahead 1 to 3414, The Offshore Co. up 1% to 26% and Ranger Oil Canada, ahead 1% to 31.