21.   U.K. stocks closed mixed after a strong opening on Wall Street and the likelihood of more takeover activity countered the pull of declining ex-dividend stocks.

22.   With the huge decline in stock prices, you might expect to see a surge in takeover activity.

23.   With Corporate America seeing a resurgence in takeover activity, the agency recently pledged a renewed crackdown on insider trading.

24.   If the deal goes through it would be one of the largest transfers of ownership in the drugs industry, where takeover activity has picked up recently.

25.   Intense takeover activity in the electricity sector and a series of positive corporate results also boosted share prices on the London market.

26.   In the electricity sector, the focus remained on takeover activity.

27.   But they added that underlying market sentiment remained positive, with hopes of further takeover activity limiting losses.

28.   Dealers predicted that there might be a fresh wave of takeover activity on the London market after details of the surprise merger were made public.

29.   Dealers here said that while the market followed Wall Street lower at first, sentiment was buoyed by continued takeover activity in the utilities sector.

30.   The sector has already been the focus of takeover activity.