1
 Merger and acquisition activity in the third quarter exceeded the year-earlier pace,
5001
span

2
 said Merrill Lynch & Co. 's W.T. Grimm & Co. unit in Schaumburg, Ill.
1
attribution

3
 A total of 672 transactions were announced during the latest quarter, up 13% from the year-earlier period's 597, 
5002
span

4
Grimm said. 
3
attribution

5
Transactions 
5003
span

6
in which prices were disclosed 
5
elaboration-object-attribute-e

7
totaled $71.9 billion, up 36% from $52.9 billion a year earlier,
5004
Same-Unit

8
 the company added.
5004
attribution

9
 Grimm counted 16 transactions 
5007
span

10
valued at $1 billion or more in the latest period, twice as many as a year earlier.
9
elaboration-object-attribute-e

11
 The largest was the $12 billion merger 
5009
span

12
creating Bristol-Myers Squibb Co. 
11
elaboration-object-attribute-e

13
 In the first nine months, 1,977 transactions were announced, up 15% from 1,716 in the year-earlier period.
5013
span

14
 Transactions 
5011
span

15
in which prices were disclosed
14
elaboration-object-attribute-e

16
 totaled $188.1 billion, up 15% from $163.2 billion a year earlier.
5012
Same-Unit

17
 Citing current stock market conditions and the trend away from highly leveraged transactions, 
18
circumstance

18
Grimm said 
5022
span

19
it wasn't certain that the total value of transactions for the year will exceed the record $247 billion in 1988.
5016
attribution

5001
span
5019
summary-s

5002
span
5006
span

5003
span
5004
Same-Unit

5004
multinuc
5005
span

5005
span
5002
elaboration-additional

5006
span
5008
span

5007
span
5010
span

5008
span
5019
span

5009
span
5007
elaboration-additional

5010
span
5006
elaboration-additional

5011
span
5012
Same-Unit

5012
multinuc
13
elaboration-additional

5013
span
5008
elaboration-additional

5014
span



5015
span



5016
span
5023
span

5017
span



5018
span



5019
span
5020
span

5020
span
5021
span

5021
span



5022
span
5016
span

5023
span
5020
interpretation-s

