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Humana's stock price fell by 2.6% Monday because of investors' fears that the U.S. Justice Department will try to squash Aetna's $37 billion takeover of the insurer. Humana's stock descent began in earnest last week after antitrust trade publication MLex cited sources who said the Justice Department was skeptical about the Aetna-Humana deal and potentially was ready to sue to block it. (Herman, 7/11)

New York’s insurance regulator has conditionally approved Aetna Inc.’s $37 billion takeover of Humana Inc., one of the last state sign-offs needed for the deal, people familiar with the matter said. The transaction is still under review by U.S. officials. State insurance regulators have been conducting their own assessments, which are in some cases required before a transaction can proceed. (Tracer and Farrell, 7/11)

With decisions from the Justice Department pending on two potential mergers involving Aetna and Cigna, U.S. Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., sent a pair of letters Monday urging both companies to maintain a "strong presence" in Connecticut regardless of the outcome. He did not oppose the mergers. "I trust the Department of Justice to review the merits of the proposed mergers and come out with a ruling that is fact-based and fair," Murphy said in a statement. (Constable, 7/11)