In Brief: S. Pacific Merger Rumor Resurfaces

Trading of Southern Pacific Funding Corp.'s stock was suspended Wednesday, again raising speculation that the company had found a buyer.

The Lake Oswego, Ore., subprime lender's stock opened to an order imbalance, with the targeted opening price as high as $3.312 above Monday's close of $15.6875.

Trading was halted for 22 minutes, and then opened at $16.50. A Southern Pacific spokesman declined to comment. Southern Pacific recently received a $650 million warehouse line from First Union Corp., leading some to suspect that the bank could be a buyer. The bank did not comment.

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