Final answer:
The commercial elite and local nobles merged through marriages between leading families, the adoption of bourgeoisie social habits by the nobility, and the development of exclusive neighborhoods among the wealthy.
Step-by-step explanation:
The commercial elite and local nobles merged in various ways. In some cases, members of the business elite formed close ties with each other through marriages between leading families, which helped advance economic advantage and solidify social bonds. Exclusive neighborhoods also developed among the wealthy, leading to class segregation in cities. Additionally, the nobility began to enter the economic fields of the bourgeoisie and adopted their social habits, blurring the lines between the upper echelons of the bourgeoisie and the bulk of the nobility.