TradingMarkets Mid-Day Movers

Earlier this week TradingMarkets.com published new research on what the month of December is likely to have in store for the stock market. Our research, titled "Will December Be Up Or Down?" showed some interesting results when comparing all Decembers with those that have followed a market that is up after the first 11-months (as it is this year).

Stocks are trading lower on Monday despite M&A news before the bell. Treasuries are trading lower, the US Dollar Index is slightly higher. Energy prices are rallying sharply with Crude Oil back above $60.

Boston Scientific (BSX | Quote | Chart | News | PowerRating) has entered the race to acquire Guidant (GDT | Quote | Chart | News | PowerRating) by offering 14% premium than Johnson & Johnson's (JNJ | Quote | Chart | News | PowerRating) bid price to buy Guidant in cash and stock (full story).

Liberty Media (L | Quote | Chart | News | PowerRating) and Provide Commerce (PRVD | Quote | Chart | News | PowerRating) have struck a definitive deal allowing Liberty Media to buy Provide Commerce for $477 Mln (full story).

BP (BP | Quote | Chart | News | PowerRating) revealed that its Singapore unit would buy 20% stake in China Aviation Oil for approximately US$44 Mln (full story).

Sears Holdings (SHLD | Quote | Chart | News | PowerRating) announced that it would acquire all the outstanding common shares of Sears Canada that it does not currently own for about US$715 Mln (full story).

Yellow Roadway (YELL | Quote | Chart | News | PowerRating) reaffirmed Q4 earnings per share below Street analysts' estimates. The company also backed 2005 earnings outlook (full story).

Monsanto (MON | Quote | Chart | News | PowerRating) raised its Q1 earnings guidance, citing stronger than expected results for cotton traits in Australia and for Roundup herbicides in Europe and the United States due partly to earlier timing of demand particularly in Europe (full story).

In today's economic news, the ISM Non-Manufacturing Index for November was 58.5 (report).