That apparently reflected traders' expectations that the merger with Time would succeed.

They note that big mergers in the fast-moving computer industry rarely, if ever, succeed.

Besides, he has argued, big mergers in the fast-moving computer business rarely, if ever, succeed.

However, some of the lawyers who had defected from the firms in the last 15 months expressed skepticism about whether the merger would succeed.

Other analysts, however, said the merger could still succeed, even though the odds have lengthened.

Big mergers will succeed," he said, "only to the extent that they do things to please the customers.

It notes that big mergers in the fast-moving technology business rarely, if ever, succeed.

But if the merger succeeded, the research and development budget of the combined company would rival Merck's.

While the ruling represents a roadblock, the merger may still succeed.

In the fast-moving computer industry, big mergers rarely succeed.