The leading Swiss bank UBS (net results CHF 6.3 billion in 1999 and 49,000 employed) has made a $10.8 billion bid for acquisition of the fourth largest US brokerage and fortune management company PAINEWEBBER (net profits $626 million in 1999), which has a balance sheet total of $5.29 billion with 385 offices in the United States and 20,000 employed). The operation, which will be half in cash and half in share swap, will be carried out on the basis of the price of $73.5 per share.