US stocks rose this afternoon as European companies made takeover offers for US companies in the health-care and chemicals sectors and bond yields dipped, sending rate-sensitive stocks higher.
Shares of Allegheny Energy were up 3.3% to $52.34, while Edison International rose 2.7% to $55.26. The Dow Jones was up 54 points at 13,405.6, while the Nasdaq was up 13 at 2,590.
European stock exchanges closed lower, with British defence company BAE Systems among the fallers in London after it was hit by an anti-corruption probe in the US.
Investor sentiment was also dampened ahead of Thursday's interest rate decision from the US Federal Reserve, which was expected to hold American borrowing costs at 5.25%. In London, the London FTSE 100 index shed 29 points to close at 6,559. In Paris, the CAC 40 ended down 0.82%, while in Frankfurt the Dax lost 0.88%.
In Dublin, the ISEQ ended down three points at 9,384, with drinks group C&C off 52 cent at €10.21 on fears that a wet summer would hit cider sales. Aer Lingus gained three points to €2.60, while Ryanair was down three points. The moves came ahead of an expected EU Commission decision this week to block Ryanair's takeover bid for Aer Lingus.
In Asia, Japanese share prices ended little changed after a weak Wall Street performance last night. Tokyo's Nikkei closed down marginally at 18,066.
