Stocks rose Monday as investors considered positive developments around a coronavirus vaccine candidate, and eyed a flurry of newly announced mergers and acquisitions among major companies. Tech shares shook off last week’s jitters and led the S&P 500 higher.
announced over the weekend that its late-stage Covid-19 vaccine trials with the University of Oxford had resumed, after safety concerns over a suspected adverse reaction from a participant had led the company to pause trials temporarily a week earlier. Shares rose about a 0.5% in early trading.” data-reactid=”17″>AstraZeneca (AZN) announced over the weekend that its late-stage Covid-19 vaccine trials with the University of Oxford had resumed, after safety concerns over a suspected adverse reaction from a participant had led the company to pause trials temporarily a week earlier. Shares rose about a 0.5% in early trading.
multiple news outlets that the tech company landed a partnership with TikTok’s US business unit, edging out Microsoft (MSFT), which had previously been viewed as the frontrunner for a tie-up with the fast-growing social media company. Microsoft shares ticked lower in pre-market trading, extending losses from Friday.” data-reactid=”22″>Elsewhere, Oracle (ORCL) on Monday confirmed reports that it was included in a proposal for TikTok that the social media owner’s ByteDance submitted to the US Treasury Department over the weekend. Shares of Oracle had been up 4% shortly after market open before being halted for pending news, following reports from multiple news outlets that the tech company landed a partnership with TikTok’s US business unit, edging out Microsoft (MSFT), which had previously been viewed as the frontrunner for a tie-up with the fast-growing social media company. Microsoft shares ticked lower in pre-market trading, extending losses from Friday.
“Global markets are kicking off the week on an optimistic footing, with M&A activity and vaccine developments helping to lift spirits after recent declines,” Josh Mahony, senior market analyst at IG, wrote in an email Monday.
The development between Oracle and TikTok “does help ease friction between the US and China, yet there will be questions over just how much data remains available to the main entity,” he added. “On the vaccine front, news that the AstraZeneca vaccine trial is to resume provides a significant boost after fears that complications with one participant could represent a significant hurdle to development. With Trump telling states to expect a vaccine before the election, there is a feeling that we are in the home straight in the push for an effective treatment.”
announced it was purchasing SoftBank Group’s chip unit Arm Limited in a transaction valued at $40 billion – the largest ever in the semiconductor industry. Elsewhere, Gilead Sciences (GILD) agreed to purchase Immunomedics (IMMU) in an about $21 billion deal, adding the latter’s tumor-fighting drugs to the pharmaceutical giant’s portfolio. Shares of Gilead rose slipped 1% in early trading, while Immunomedics’ stock more than doubled.” data-reactid=”25″>Other major corporations also announced massive new deals over the weekend. Chipmaker Nvidia (NVDA) announced it was purchasing SoftBank Group’s chip unit Arm Limited in a transaction valued at $40 billion – the largest ever in the semiconductor industry. Elsewhere, Gilead Sciences (GILD) agreed to purchase Immunomedics (IMMU) in an about $21 billion deal, adding the latter’s tumor-fighting drugs to the pharmaceutical giant’s portfolio. Shares of Gilead rose slipped 1% in early trading, while Immunomedics’ stock more than doubled.
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Oracle confirmed that ByteDance had included the company in a proposal for social media company TikTok over the weekend.
“Oracle confirms Secretary Mnuchin’s statement that it is part of the proposal submitted by ByteDance to the Treasury Department over the weekend in which Oracle will serve as the trusted technology provider,” the company said in a statement.
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Oracle shares were halted shortly after market open Monday morning, for pending news. The company over the weekend was reported to have won a deal for TikTok’s US operations, with the tie-up likely set to be structured as a corporate restructuring rather than full purchase.
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9:32 a.m. ET: Stocks open higher, tech stocks regain footing
Here were the main moves in markets, as of 9:33 a.m. ET:
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S&P 500 (^GSPC): +31.76 points (+0.95%) to 3,373.64
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Dow (^DJI): +173.55 points (+0.63%) to 27,839.19
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Nasdaq (^IXIC): +153.55 points (+1.41%) to 11,003.34
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Crude (CL=F): -$0.17 (-0.46%) to $37.16 a barrel
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Gold (GC=F): +$17.40 (+0.89%) to $1,965.30 per ounce
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10-year Treasury (^TNX): -1.1 bps to yield 0.656%
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7:19 a.m. ET Monday: Stock futures rise as vaccine, M&A developments draw focus
Here were the main moves in markets, as of 7:19 a.m. ET:
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S&P 500 futures (ES=F): 3,3374.00, up 40.25 points or 1.21%
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Dow futures (YM=F): 27,850.00, up 238.00 points or 0.86%
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Nasdaq futures (NQ=F): 11,241.5, up 180.00 points, or 1.63%
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Crude (CL=F): -$0.11 (-0.29%) to $37.22 a barrel
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Gold (GC=F): +$4.00 (+0.21%) to $1,951.90 per ounce
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10-year Treasury (^TNX): +0.7 bp to yield 0.674%
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