Two banks, Banco Popular and Mercantil Bank, were selling dollars at RD$40 to US$1 prior to last night’s meeting, undercutting the going rate of the past two days by approximately RD$4.00 per dollar. Both banks announced that they would today have dollars for sale at the new rate and lower rates are expected to continue with the arrival of the Christmas season, bringing many Dominicans home for the holidays and a large influx of dollars from the industrial free zones in preparation for the holidays.