Also. . .

* Investment bank Wasserstein, Perella & Co. put itself up for sale for more than $1.5 billion and may be bought by Germany’s Dresdner Bank, according to people familiar with the situation. Bruce Wasserstein, 52, founder and majority owner of Wasserstein Perella, would not comment on reports of the merger talks other than to say “this is ridiculous” when reached at his New York home. A Dresdner spokeswoman also declined to comment.

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