NATION

NATION

United, Delta consider
combining carriers

ATLANTA — UAL Corp.’s United Airlines and Delta Air Lines Inc. have been discussing a combination between the nation’s second- and third-largest carriers that would keep the United name and the corporate headquarters in Chicago, The Associated Press has learned.

Shares of both airlines surged on the news. There is a sense of urgency in the talks, which have been going on for some time and continued as recently as a week or so ago, an official with knowledge of the talks said Wednesday. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because the person was not authorized to speak publicly.

Will mortgage losses
continue to grow?

NEW YORK — Billions of dollars in mortgage losses reported during the third quarter could be a prelude to even bigger losses in the fourth quarter, as two more financial institutions warned of substantial writedowns Wednesday.

After financial services firms collectively took more than $40 billion in writedowns during the third quarter, early figures for the current quarter are already approaching $30 billion. Bear Stearns Cos. and HSBC Holdings PLC were the latest to predict rising losses.

REGION

F.N.B. Corp. declares
quarterly dividend

HERMITAGE, Pa. — F.N.B. Corp. has declared a quarterly dividend on its common stock of 24 cents a share. The dividend is payable Dec. 15 to shareholders of record as of Dec. 1. The total dividend of 95 cents a share for 2007 makes the 35th straight year that the company’s dividend has increased.

Associated Press