31.   Since the company confirmed its merger discussions with SmithKline Beecham last week, it has been under the scrutiny of investment bankers and analysts alike.

32.   Speculation about a combination of the three companies surfaced last Wednesday when it was reported that they were in merger discussions.

33.   Telecom Italia Talks Are Approved Italy and Germany gave their approval for Telecom Italia to continue merger discussions with Deutsche Telekom.

34.   The bank aborted merger discussions with CoreStates Financial Corp. and the Bank of New York Corp. in recent months.

35.   The bank has denied the reports, as well as accounts of merger discussions, but said Tuesday that it was working on a restructuring plan.

36.   The CBS News-CNN merger discussions are said to be continuing, though no decision is said to be near.

37.   The central bank said some other finance companies were in an advanced stage of merger discussions and would make merger announcements soon.

38.   The company was widely considered one of two suitors for Quorum Health Group Inc., which said Thursday that it had ended merger discussions with a suitor.

39.   The collapse of merger discussions between SmithKline Beecham and Glaxo Wellcome has squelched merger fever in the U.S. pharmaceutical market.

40.   The Financial Times, citing people it did not identify, reported that the banks had held merger discussions.