Suspension of Trading

Banco Santander Central Hispano SA
23 September 2005


Banco Santander Central Hispano, S.A. announces that trading in its shares has
been temporarily suspended in the Spanish Stock Exchange by the Spanish National
Securities Market Commission (CNMV), pending the dissemination by the company of
material information concerning the sale by the Bank of its 22.07% stake in
Union Fenosa, S.A.. Such information has already been released, and the CNMV has
announced that trading will resume at 14:30 hours Madrid time (13:30 hours
London time).



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