Penelope Adelmann, the utility analyst for Gruntal & Company, said the merger trend would accelerate.

The merger trend is not based on expanding the economic base or expanding services but, instead, on increasing the bottom line.

Both companies are known to believe that the merger trend in the media industry will continue, leaving only a handful of major players in the industry within a few years.

There are plenty of reasons for supposing that the merger trend will gain vigour.

The merger trend accelerated in 1995, probably in reaction to the poor stock and bond markets of the previous year.

Few analysts or financial executives think that the merger trend is over, but some say that they expect fewer marriages of convenience and more strategically focused transactions.

Analysts and investment bankers expect the merger trend to continue this year, as a weak dollar and relatively strong stock market make deals attractive.

And the merger trend is expected to continue.

The merger trend in the slaughtering industry is continuing.

Several large employers said the merger trend had not paid off in better care.