Shares in Nokia Oy and L M Ericsson Telefon AB were dancing yesterday on rather unlikely market gossip that the Finn and the Swede were planning to merge to create a giant in cellular phones. Ericsson was up 9.5 crowns at 206 and in Nokia was up 3.5 markka to 251.50 markka shortly before the close. Neither company was very forthcoming, with Nokia saying that Company policy is not to comment on rumors in or from the market, and Ericsson We never comment on rumours like this. If we have something to say, we will. It seems likely that competition authorities would look askance at such a merger.
