21.   For SBC, the planned UBS merger caps a busy year of transactions.

22.   Four San Francisco Federal Savings and Loan branches and five First Nationwide branches will be closed following a planned merger of the two institutions.

23.   Grand Metropolitan Plc and Guinness Plc said, as expected, that their planned merger will face an extended inquiry from U.S. antitrust authorities.

24.   Hafslund Nycomed AS ended its planned merger with Ivax Corp. after the Norwegian drug company said the proposal lacked support from shareholders.

25.   He also said that the planned merger would have no problems receiving permission from government authorities.

26.   In addition, several other antitrust attorneys presented evidence aimed at convincing the commission to clear the planned merger.

27.   In February, the Crabbe Huson Group, an Oregon-based fund family, dropped a planned merger with the Prudential Insurance Co. of America.

28.   In trading Friday, the stocks of both CBS and QVC eased a bit after surging on Thursday in reaction to the planned merger.

29.   Indeed, European stock markets appeared headed in that direction, with announcements of planned mergers involving exchanges in Frankfurt, London, Paris, Milan and elsewhere.

30.   Investors continued to express doubts about the planned merger of Hewlett-Packard and Compaq that was announced early Tuesday, analysts said.