(Updates)
** Shares of real estate developer Howard Hughes Holdings
HHH.N up 9.1% at $78.29 in morning trading
** Billionaire investor Bill Ackman's Pershing Square
PSH.AS , which along with its affiliates, has a 37.6% stake in
the company, proposes merger between Howard Hughes and a
Pershing unit
** Ackman also says Pershing Square is increasing its stake
in Howard Hughes Holdings by $1 billion
** Texas-based HHH has market capitalization of $3.6
billion, according to data compiled by LSEG
** Stock hit a four-month low on Friday, down about 18% from
its 2-1/2 year high in November
(Reporting by Medha Singh and Rupali Chaudhary)
((medha.singh@thomsonreuters.com))