81.   Executives of Mattel continued to contend Friday that antitrust concerns did not cause the breakdown of merger talks.

82.   Except for those of top executives, benefits are rarely a negotiating point during merger talks.

83.   First Michigan Bank Corp. said it ended merger talks with an unidentified suitor.

84.   First Pencil is involved in merger talks with three other Chinese pen manufacturers to fend off rising competition.

85.   Finally, what better way to end a water tale -- or any investment tale -- than with merger talk?

86.   Financial experts in Tokyo said Saturday that merger talks were continuing, but they also cautioned that no deal had been reached and that many obstacles remained.

87.   Financial services companies were buoyed by renewed merger talk.

88.   For two companies that specialize in entertainment, the story of the merger talks had very little drama or suspense.

89.   Full-fledged merger talks continue between UCSF and Stanford University.

90.   German shares rose after U.S. stocks rose for the fifth time in six sessions, as merger talk boosted drug shares.