Buyouts and Earnings Reports Helped All 3 Majors Advance Today

News of company buyouts contributed to many stocks advancing today, as investors got bullish on the potential for further acquisition activity for 2006. All 3 major indices enjoyed healthy gains today; 1,578,998,640 shares were traded @ The New York Stock Exchange®.


Shares of DJIA component Merck (MRK) gained $1.59 (+4.26%) to close @ $38.95 on news of strong sales of pharmaceuticals like the cholesterol drugs Vytorin® and Zetia®.

Shares of DJIA component United Technologies (UTX) gained $1.49 (+2.48%) to close @ $61.45.

Shares of DJIA component Boeing (BA) gained $2.36 (+2.98%) to close @ $81.44.


Shares of DJIA component Caterpillar (CAT) gained $2.17 (+3.17%) to close @ $70.52; the stock then lost $0.87 in after-hours trading this evening.


Shares of NYSE Group (NYX) gained $3.00 (+5.00%) to close @ $62.96. The NYSE Group owns The New York Stock Exchange®.


Shares of Yahoo! Inc. (YHOO) gained $1.05 (+4.06%) to close @ $26.94.


Shares of HCA Inc. (HCA) gained $1.61 (+3.36%) to close @ $49.48; the stock then lost $0.24 in after-hours trading this evening. A group of investors that includes HCA's current management team and co-founder Thomas F. Frist Jr. will purchase the U.S. #1 hospital chain along with the company's debt in deal that worth about $33 billion.


Shares of Canadian chipmaker ATI Technologies (ATYT) gained $3.11 (+18.78%) to close @ $19.67 on news that Advanced Micro Devices will purchase the company in a deal that's worth about $5.4 billion.


Shares of Cardiome Pharma Corporation (CRME) gained $3.24 (+36.36%) to close @ $12.15; the stock then gained an additional $0.14 in after-hours action this evening.


Shares of Silicon Laboratories Inc. (SLAB) gained $6.20 (+21.02%) to close @ $35.70; the stock then gained an additional $0.55 in after-hours action this evening.


Shares of T-3 Energy Services Inc. (TTES) gained $2.69 (+15.01%) to close @ $20.61; the stock then gained an additional $0.11 in after-hours action this evening.


Shares of EXCO Resources Inc. (XCO) gained $1.85 (+18.05%) to close @ $12.10.


Shares of Polo Ralph Lauren Corporation (RL) gained $7.50 (+15.66%) to close @ $55.40.


Shares of ICICI Bank Ltd. (IBN) gained $3.06 (+13.75%) to close @ $25.31.


Shares of Gerber Scientific Inc. (GRB) gained $1.38 (+10.27%) to close @ $14.82.


Shares of National Interstate Corp. (NATL) gained $2.58 (+11.09%) to close @ $25.85.


Shares of JSC Tatneft (TNT) gained $7.72 (+8.41%) to close @ $99.50.


Shares of HDFC Bank Ltd. (HDB) gained $3.83 (+7.91%) to close @ $52.23.


Shares of China BAK Battery, Inc. (CBAK) fell by $2.12 (-31.22%) to close @ $4.67.


Shares of Boston Communications Group Inc. (BCGI) fell by $1.22 (-30.42%) to close @ $2.79.


Shares of Astec Industries Inc. (ASTE) fell by $5.94 (-21.49%) to close @ $21.70.


Shares of HIGHLAND CRED STRTGY (HCF) fell by $1.18 (-5.62%) to close @ $19.82.


Summary of The U.S. Markets:

----------------------------------------------------------

DJIA: Closed @ 11,051.05 (+182.67)

NASDAQ: Closed @ 2,061.84 (+41.45)

S&P 500: Closed @ 1,260.91 (+20.62)

----------------------------------------------------------

NYMEX Crude Oil Future closed @ $74.57/barrel

NY Spot Gold closed @ $612.90/ounce (-$6.80)

In New York, The U.S. Dollar buys 0.7925 Euros

In New York, The Euro buys 1.2618 U.S. Dollars

The U.S. Prime Rate (Fed Prime Rate) is 8.25%

--> www.FedPrimeRate.com Privacy Policy <-- >  SITEMAP  <