JAPANESE NEWSPAPER HIGHLIGHTS - NOV 1, 2007.

TOKYO, Nov 1 Asia Pulse - Highlights of today's newspapers:

NIKKEI NET:

- Merger and acquisition advisory firm GCA Holdings Corp. (TSE:2126) will purchase U.S. investment bank Savvian LLC for an estimated 90 billion yen (US$779 million) through a stock swap, The Nikkei has learned.

- The four major consumer finance firms are expected to report net profits in the first fiscal half ended Sept. 30 for the first time in 18 months amid waning pressure to boost reserves for interest repayments after socking away large sums last year, The Nikkei learned Thursday.

- Hitachi Ltd. (TSE:6501), Pioneer Corp. (TSE:6773), Funai Electric Co. (TSE:6839) and some other Japanese consumer electronics firms are increasingly pressured to revise their flat-panel television strategies with the U.S. market showing signs of a slowdown.

- The law authorizing Japan's refueling activities in the Indian Ocean expires Thursday, placing the country at a crossroads in terms of its global role.

- Price increases are expanding to daily goods and services, with Kirin Brewery Co. to raise ...