Mid-Afternoon Market Update: Markets Edge Toward Record Highs, Arch Coal Falls Further

Toward the end of trading Tuesday, the Dow traded up 0.85 percent to 13,997.56 while the NASDAQ rose 1.38 percent to 3,174.81. The S&P also rose, increasing 1.17 percent to 1,513.25. Top Headline
Making headlines this morning was the Dell DELL buyout. After months of speculation and rumour, it was finally announced that it would be taken private by Michael Dell and Silver Lake for $13.65 per share. Following the announcement, shares dropped a little over 2 percent before being halted. Equities Trading UP
Protalix Biotherapeutics PLX shot up 14.93 percent to $6.16 Tuesday after the company announced it was reviewing partnering and other opportunities, hinting at takeover talks. Shares of Neurocrine Biosciences NBIX were up as well, gaining 12.50 percent to $10.53 after being initiated at Lazard Capital with a Buy rating this morning. Virgin Media VMED was also up, gaining 18.14 percent at the market open to $45.71 after the company confirmed talks of a sale to Liberty Global. Equities Trading DOWN
NII Holdings NIHD took a hit throughout early trading Tuesday, falling 9.09 percent to $5.80 after it released guidance that disappointed traders. McGraw Hill MHP was also down, falling 11.06 percent to $44.74 as the U.S. Department of Justice announced it would open an investigation over the company's ratings of deals in the period right before the mortgage crisis. Shares of Arch Coal ACI traded down 12.99 percent to $6.03 after posting a loss for the fourth-quarter this morning. Commodities
In commodity news, oil traded up 0.50 percent to $96.65, while gold traded down 0.18 percent to $1,673.30. Silver traded up 0.10 percent Tuesday to $31.82. Euro zone
European markets were mostly higher this morning, riding an upward swing from the fall in US markets Monday. Leading the rise was the Spanish Ibex, up 1.02 percent while the French CAC rose 0.55 percent. Economics
In economic news, the ISM non-manufacturing index came in at 55.20, very slightly beating projections of 55.00 while coming in slightly below the prior report of 55.70. The IBD economic optimism index was reported as well, coming in at 47.30, matching expectations and beating the previous release of 46.50.