February 3, 1999

Growing number of restaurants employ sommeliers, and they are often very young--even in the best places; sommeliers at Cafe Boulud, Jean Georges, Peacock Alley, Le Bernardin and Union Pacific are all under 31, a few of them barely past legal drinking age; photo (M)

Brazil replaces its central bank president for second time in three weeks and surprises financial markets with choice: Arminio Fraga Neto, a disciple of billionaire speculator George Soros; Fraga appointment coincides with urgent consultations between Brazilian finance officials and International Monetary Fund on ways to combat economic crisis; Fraga replaces Francisco Lopes; Brazilian currency, the real, rises for second day, partly reversing plunge that began on Jan 13, when Government allowed currency to trade freely in foreign-exchange markets; photo (M)

Latest New York Times/CBS News Poll finds most Americans now condemn Senate for its handling of Pres Clinton's impeachment trial as much as they did House of Representatives, and Republican fortunes have sagged so much that half of even conservative Republicans say party's prospects for 2000 elections have been damaged; public views entire matter more as Republican drive to undermine Pres Clinton than as honest investigation of possible crimes; majority says House impeachment was enough, Senate does not need witnesses and such Americans would be just as happy if matter was dropped without any final vote; one Republican respondent says Republicans have 'cooked their goose on this one,' that many members have been in Congress too long, and have been trying to 'hang the President from Day 1'; Pres Clinton now has 68 percent job-approval rating; table of findings (M)

Technology Stocks Decline As Investors Take Profits Technology stocks, whose valuations have been pushed into the stratosphere in recent weeks, led equity markets lower as investors and traders decided to take some profits. The selloff was most pronounced among the shares of such marquee names as Microsoft, Intel and Cisco Systems. The technology-heavy Nasdaq composite index suffered the biggest setback, slumping 46.67 points, or 1.86 percent, to 2,463.42. The Dow Jones industrial average dropped 71.58 points, to 9,274.12, and the Standard & Poor's 500-stock index lost 11.01 points, to 1,261.99. In the bond market, Treasury prices fell sharply as the yield on the 30-year issue rose to 5.24 percent from 5.18 percent. [Page C12.]

Guitar Center in Los Angeles, a major clearinghouse for guitars and music equipment, is also among best places to spot pop, rock and rap superstars, up-and-comers and has-beens in Los Angeles; there one can take the pulse of the musical community in Los Angeles, the dream factory for much of country's pop music; photos (M)