As a result, the number of primary dealers has been reduced to 42 from 46 in the last few years, he said.

Eight foreign firms, of 40 over all, are now primary dealers.

With yesterday's addition, the number of primary dealers rose to 44.

Almost certainly, not all of the firms that remain primary dealers made money in 1990.

Some people in the industry expect that the number of primary dealers will shrink, within the next year or so, from 41 to the mid-30's.

Japanese companies now own six primary dealers and have large capital investments in at least four others.

"The bulk of the business is done in a traditional manner, through the primary dealers."

These are transactions that the central bank does with its primary dealers to control the growth rate of the nation's money supply.

Why, for example, rely on only 40 primary dealers to sell Government bonds?

The deal is significant because it will give Fuji control over a primary dealer.