Merger and acquisition news lifted the markets to a higher open with the Dow climbing 75 points to 17,739. Nasdaq gained 34 points to 5,087.
On the upside
Shire (Nasdaq: SHPG) will pay a premium of approximately $5.9 billion in cash to acquire Dyax (Nasdaq: DYAX).
MedAssets (Nasdaq: MDAS) will be taken private by Pamplona Capital Management in a deal valued at approximately $2.7 billion.
TDK will purchase Hutchinson Technology (Nasdaq: HTCH) for a base consideration of $3.62 per share.
On the downside
Endurance International (Nasdaq: EIGI) widened third quarter losses more than expected and announced plans to acquire Constant Contact (Nasdaq: CTCT) for approximately $1.1 billion.
Visa (NYSE: V) will pay approximately $23.4 billion to purchase Visa Europe.
Treehouse Foods (NYSE: THS) will buy ConAgra Foods' (NYSE: CAG) private brands business for approximately $2.7 billion.
In the broad market, advancing issues outpaced decliners by a margin of nearly 2 to 1 on the NYSE and by more than 2 to 1 on Nasdaq. The broader S&P 500 climbed 11 points to 2,090. Bitcoin soared $10 to $327.
