NEW YORK (AP) — Stocks are closing with solid gains after several big acquisitions and a strong earnings report from Loews Corp. pushed financial companies higher.
Pride International jumped 16 percent after Ensco PLC said it would buy the company for $7.3 billion. Beckman Coulter gained 10 percent after Danaher Corp. said it would buy the company for $5.8 billion.
Loews Corp. rose 4 percent after its earnings beat Wall Street expectations.
At the market close, the Dow Jones industrial average is up 69 points, or 0.6 percent, to 12,161. The S&P 500 is up 8, or 0.6 percent, to 1,319. The Nasdaq composite is up 15, or 0.5 percent, to 2,784.
Two stocks rose for every one that fell on the New York Stock Exchange. Volume came to 865 million shares.
