September 8, 1999

Companies that were once split apart by regulators, like CBS and Viacom, are being put back together as the economics of the industries change. [Page 14.]

Hilton Hotels Corp to buy Promus Hotel Corp for $3.1 billion in cash and stock, creating one of world's largest hotel companies; photo (M)

Article discusses National League home run race between Chicago Cubs outfielder Sammy Sosa and St Louis Cardinals first baseman Mark McGwire; Sosa leads McGwire, 58-54; race is not getting as much national attention as last's race to capture one of baseball's most cherished records; photo (M)

Big Vitamin Makers Agree To Settle Price-Fixing Suit Six of the world's largest vitamin makers have agreed to pay about $1.1 billion to resolve a class-action lawsuit that accused them of taking part in a global conspiracy to fix vitamin prices over the last decade, people close to the talks said. The settlement, which could come this week, would be one of the largest antitrust payments made in a private class-action suit in United States history, lawyers said. [Page C2.]

The combined company would wield tremendous, some say overwhelming, influence in the advertising world. Stuart Elliott: Advertising. [Page 8.]