21.   Growing competition has also played a role, and so have corporate mergers.

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

23.   In Europe, a merger would have an even greater significance.

24.   Industry analysts said the move should ease worries about the possible impact of decreased competition the merger might have.

25.   Industry analysts said the bank merger would have little impact on American banks, in part because Dresdner has little presence in the United States.

26.   International auto mergers have a history of producing ruinous culture clashes.

27.   It remains to be seen what effect the merger will have on fund-raising.

28.   Many mergers have rocky beginnings, and DaimlerChrysler has been no exception.

29.   Meanwhile, Wall Street analysts and executives at Wells Fargo and Norwest predict that the merger should have no trouble clearing federal regulators.

30.   Marks said he believed mergers would have little effect on that trend.