The markets opened mixed with the Dow rising 12 points to 12,389 while Nasdaq eased a fraction to 2788 over corporate news. McDonald's announced plans to hire 50,000 workers while Southwest cancelled an additional 100 flights.
On the upside
Private equity firm Apax Partners will acquire Epicor Software (Nasdaq: EPIC) and Activant Solutions in a deal valued at approximately $2 billion.
Vivus (Nasdaq: VVUS) reported that its Qnexa lowered blood pressure and increased lipid levels in patients taking the experimental weight loss drug over two years.
Orexigen Therapeutics (Nasdaq: OREX) reported that patients taking its weight loss treatment Contrave maintained normal 24-hour circadian patterns over one year of treatment.
On the downside
OmniVision (Nasdaq: OVTI) purchased 850 image sensor-related patents and patent applications from Eastman Kodak (NYSE: EK) for $65 million in cash.
Ambassadors International (Nasdaq: AMIE) will file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy and sell it Windstar Cruises unit to a private investment firm.
General Dynamics (NYSE: GD) said that a flight test of a Gulfstream G650 crashed killing four people.
In the broad market, advancing issues outpaced decliners by a margin of nearly 9 to 7 on both the NYSE and on Nasdaq. The Russell 2000 which tracks small cap stocks added a point to 847.
