Merck KGaA First-Quarter Profit Plunges 76 Percent

April 27 (Bloomberg) -- Merck KGaA said first-quarterprofit plunged 76 percent as the global recession damped demandfor liquid crystals used in flat-panel televisions and monitors. Net income fell to 56.7 million euros (.7 million) from239.1 million euros a year earlier, Darmstadt, Germany-basedMerck said in an e-mailed statement today. Earnings included a70 million-euro charge linked to the Raptiva psoriasis drugbeing withdrawn because of possible side effects to the brain. Asian St

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