1.   Another feature of building society expansion in recent years has been the increasing concentration of the industry through merger activity.

2.   Falling stock Markets and a lack of merger activity have squeezed Margins and profits in investment banks.

3.   Analysts said they expected the flurry of merger activity to continue as smaller, regional grocers seek deals that will increase their size.

4.   And merger activity among the smaller New York banks has picked up sharply this year.

5.   A lull in the merger activity among financial services companies and rising interest rates on Treasury bonds helped push financials shares lower, analysts said.

6.   According to Challenger, the increased merger activity of recent weeks heralds more job cuts in upcoming months.

7.   All of this merger activity is being fueled by the unprecedented rise in Internet stock prices.

8.   Brokerage firms want to build their money management business because of its steady stream of fees, which help weather downturns in underwriting, trading and merger activities.

9.   But a resurgent stock market and a looser regulatory environment revived merger activity in recent years.

10.   But merger activity is grabbing the headlines.