Gas suppliers Praxair, Linde hold merger talks

NEW YORK/MUNICH (Reuters) - U.S. industrial gas supplier Praxair Inc and German peer Linde AG are in early-stage talks about a merger to create a market leader with a value of more than $60 billion, Linde said on Tuesday, sending shares in both companies higher. An agreement would accelerate consolidation sweeping the industrial gas sector where slower economic growth has weakened demand in the manufacturing, metals and energy sectors and put pressure on smaller players to compete. A combination