21.   SEB board chairman Jacob Wallenberg said the banks disagreed with the conclusion that the combined group would have blocked competition from other Nordic bank leaders Nordea and Handelsbanken.

22.   Skandinaviska Enskilda Banken is swapping its stock for shares in Foereningssparbanken to create a combined group to be called SEB Swedbank, the companies announced Thursday.

23.   The combined group will also take on a substantial debt load.

24.   The combined group would broaden the product lines of two London companies that rely on a narrow band of drugs for the bulk of their revenues.

25.   A new chief executive officer for the combined group will be appointed from outside Sonera and Telia.

26.   The Leeds is now planning to merge with the largest society, the Halifax, and the combined group is destined to follow Abbey on to the stock market.

27.   The Leeds is now planning to merge with the largest society, the Halifax, and the combined group is destined to follow Abbey onto the stock market.