<p><a href="http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/business/*http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20051224/bs_nm/column_mergers_dc"><img src="http://us.news3.yimg.com/us.i2.yimg.com/p/nm/20051224/2005_12_24t051459_450x359_us_column_mergers.jpg?x= 130&amp;y=103&amp;sig=1nY7.EO0L7hBMMdK7w_DZQ--" align="left" height="103" width="130" alt="Handout photo shows UBS, New York. James Glerum, a managing director of investment banking at UBS and co-head of the bank's Chicago office and Midwestern region, says he's optimistic. about 2006. (Reuters)" border="0" /></a>Reuters - The numbers are in and the verdict's
been rendered: 2005 was the best year for U.S. deal-makers
since 2000.</p><br clear=all>

View the entire article: MergerTalk: Midwest bankers and analysts upbeat on 2006 (Reuters)