MERGERS & ACQUISITIONS
* France’s Rhone-Poulenc and Germany’s Hoechst are expected to announce a merger of their drug and agricultural-chemical businesses as early as Monday, sources told Reuters. The merger would create the world’s largest “life sciences” group, with a combined stock market value of about $46.78 billion. American depositary receipts of Hoechst rose 25 cents to close at $44.63 and Rhone-Poulenc’s rose $1.06 to close at $51.19 on the NYSE.
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