Mid-Morning Market Update: Markets Open Higher; Dollar General Offers $9.7B To Buy Family Dollar

Following the market opening Monday, the Dow traded up 0.84 percent to 16,802.72 while the NASDAQ surged 0.79 percent to 4,500.04. The S&P also rose, gaining 0.72 percent to 1,969.08.

Leading and Lagging Sectors
In trading on Monday, industrials shares were relative leaders, up on the day by about 1.01 percent. Meanwhile, top gainers in the sector included China Finance Online Co JRJC, up 16 percent, and TASER International TASR, up 8 percent.
Utilities shares gained by just 0.02 percent in today’s trading. Meanwhile, top decliners in the sector included Regency Energy Partners LP RGP, down 0.8 percent, and PPL PPL, off 0.7 percent.

Top Headline
Dollar General DG offered to buy Family Dollar Stores FDO for around $9.7 billion.
Dollar General will pay $78.50 per share in cash, 3% higher than Family Dollar’s closing price of $76.06 on Friday.
Equities Trading UP
Dollar General DG shares shot up 9.83 percent to $63.11 after the company offered to buy Family Dollar Stores FDO for around $9.7 billion.
Shares of TASER International TASR got a boost, shooting up 7.48 percent to $14.95 after rising 9.44% on Friday.
Achillion Pharmaceuticals ACHN shares were also up, gaining 4.42 percent to $9.66 after Deutsche Bank upgraded the stock from Hold to Buy and raised the price target from $6 to $17.

Equities Trading DOWN
Shares of Fabrinet FN were down 16 percent to $14.91 after the company announced audit committee investigation into accounting matters and postponed Q4 earnings release.
Monster Beverage MNST shares tumbled 2.66 percent to $91.00 after jumping 30.48% on Friday.
Dollar Tree DLTR was down, falling 2.31 percent to $54.32 after Dollar General DG offered to buy Family Dollar Stores FDO for around $9.7 billion.

Commodities
In commodity news, oil traded down 0.90 percent to $96.47, while gold traded down 0.63 percent to $1,298.00.
Silver traded up 0.23 percent Monday to $19.57, while copper rose 0.02 percent to $3.13.

Euro zone
European shares were higher today. The eurozone’s STOXX 600 surged 1.02 percent, the Spanish Ibex Index jumped 1.22 percent, while Italy’s FTSE MIB Index climbed 0.95 percent. Meanwhile, the German DAX gained 1.40 percent and the French CAC 40 climbed 1.99 percent while UK shares gained 0.74 percent.

Economics
The NAHB housing market index rose 2 points to 55 in August.