I have spent two days manipulating data (about 300,000 cells' worth) I
imported as Fixed-Width (from MAS-90, if anyone cares).

The final step involves multiplying two numbers.

The POSITIVE numbers imported fine, the NEGATIVE numbers imported as

X.000-

and give me a #VALUE! error when I use any math function with them.

I have tried the Trimall macro.

I am guessing that somehow Excel thinks the '-' is a DASH and not a
negative... How do I change that????