Dividend Declaration

Banco Santander Central Hispano SA
18 October 2005



                                 MATERIAL FACT


Banco Santander Central Hispano, S.A. hereby notifies that as of November 1st
next it will pay a second interim dividend on account of the earnings for the
2005 financial year, for a gross amount per share of € 0.09296, 12% higher than
the dividend paid in November of last year as the second interim dividend on
account of the 2004 financial year. On 1st November the Bank's share will
already be trading ex-dividend.

                                 Boadilla del Monte (Madrid), 18th October 2005.






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