Ticker Talk

Dean Witter’s name lasted on Wall Street long after he died, but it will soon be relegated to the history books: Morgan Stanley Dean Witter plans to drop Dean Witter from its name for marketing purposes in March, the company said Monday. The two brokerages merged four years ago. Dean Witter founded his securities firm in San Francisco in 1924. In 1978, the firm merged with Reynolds & Co. The combined firm was sold in 1981 to Sears, Roebuck & Co., which spun it off in 1993. . . .

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Mutual fund giant Invesco Funds will pay $120 million over 20 years to have its name on the Denver Broncos’ new stadium. The venue, scheduled to open for the 2001 season, will be called Invesco Field at Mile High. . . .

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Reflecting in part the technology sector’s slump, venture capitalists invested $19.6 billion nationwide in the fourth quarter, a 31% drop from the previous quarter, the National Venture Capital Assn. said. A total of 1,345 firms got funding in the quarter, down from 1,785 companies in the previous quarter.