IN BRIEF (Page 16)

Merger mulled

Mitsui Sumitomo Insurance Group Holdings Inc, Aioi Insurance Co and Nissay Dowa General Insurance Co are in talks to create Japan's largest non-life insurer, two people familiar with the negotiations said.

The three companies, with a combined market value of about 1.8 trillion yen ($20 billion), may merge as early as the second half of 2009, one of the people said. Both declined to be identified because a final decision hasn't been made.