UPDATE 1-NEC Electronics, Renesas in talks to merge -sources

TOKYO, April 16 (Reuters) - Japanese chipmakers NEC Electronics Corp (6723.T) and Renesas Technology Corp are in the final stage of talks on merging their operations, sources said on Thursday, in a bid to pool resources and survive as sales slump amid the global economic turmoil.

The two firms are eyeing a merger in early 2010, said two sources briefed on the matter who declined to be named as the information is not public yet.

The move would create the world's No.3 chipmaker after Intel (INTC.O) and Samsung Electronics (005930.KS), based on data from market research firm Gartner, surpassing Toshiba Corp (6502.T).

NEC Electronics is majority-owned by NEC Corp (6701.T), while unlisted Renesas is a joint venture set up by Japanese electronics groups Hitachi Ltd (6501.T) and Mitsubishi Electric (6503.T). (Reporting by Kentaro Hamada and Mayumi Negishi; Editing by Hugh Lawson)