Stocks Fall Despite M&A Activity

Stocks are lower on Monday, despite a flurry of deals, as credit worries continue to rattle the markets.

Ingersoll-Rand
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is buying Trane
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for $10.1 billion, a deal that would create one of the world’s largest makers of air conditioners (read more).

National Oilwell Varco
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agreed to acquire Grant Prideco
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in a stock and cash deal worth $58 per share, a 22% premium based on Friday’s closing prices (read more).

Plains Exploration & Production
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is selling some of its oil and gas subsidiaries to Occidental Petroleum
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and XTO Energy
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for $1.75 billion (read more). The company also announced it was increasing its share buyback program by $1 billion.

Bristol-Myers Squibb
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announced the sale of its medical imaging unit to Avista Capital Partners for $525 million (read more).

Alliance Data Systems
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reaffirmed its full-year 2007 outlook (read more).

Market Snapshot

Dow

-84.62 13255.23

NASDAQ

-32.33 2603.41

S&P 500

-9.70 1458.25

NYSE NASDAQ

Volume

522,684,620 717,840,785

Up Volume

180,048,000 152,996,277

Down Volume

337,614,520 561,104,279

Advances

897 842

Declines

2161 1991

New Highs

7 8

New Lows

228 221

Strongest/Weakest Industry Groups

Strongest Industries

% Change

Weakest Industries

% Change
Toy & Hobby Stores
+5.65%
Drug Manufacturers – Other
-18.64%
General Building Materials
+2.70%
Internet Service Providers
-8.68%
Farm Products
+2.04%
Money Center Banks
-4.08%


Economic
News

Current Account (Q3): Actual -$178.5B, Consensus -$183.0B

Net Foreign Purchases (Oct) Actual $114.0B