Mr. Moses also used some money to make loans involving affiliated companies and people.

But the merger activity involving companies that pull those metals from the earth has the mark of a new-economy fervor.

There were a couple of takeovers involving foreign companies, both with significant interests in the United States.

More information than ever may be public, he said, but in cases involving private companies or well-kept secrets, trolling databases is not enough.

(American officials say they welcome China's new willingness to consider cases involving foreign companies, but will continue to press for legal, rather than political, solutions.)

The marketing of even a single food product can be a complicated process involving many producers and companies.

It claims jurisdiction over any merger involving companies that do more than $200 million in business in Europe.

The agency's year-end reports for 2003, the first full year that the Democrats were in control, show that it approved six projects involving for-profit companies.

Deals involving privately held companies require relatively little public disclosure.

Last year alone, a record $1 trillion in mergers took place involving American companies, a pace almost unrivaled in business history.