Stocks trending higher
U.S. stocks are trading slightly above the flat line this morning as news of mergers and acquisitions takes center stage.
At 10:04 a.m. ET the Russell 2000 was up 5.26 points, or 0.63 percent, to 845.18. Dow Jones Industrial Average was up 61.19 points, or 0.45 percent, to 13,601.14.
Montreal, Canada-based aluminum giant Alcan Inc. (NYSE: AL) has recommended that shareholders reject a $27.4 billion takeover bid by New York-based rival Alcoa Inc. (NYSE: AA). Alcan is in talks with Australian mining company BHP Billiton Ltd. (NYSE: BHP) to help it fight off Alcoa, according to news reports this morning.
Russia’s Norilsk Nickel has offered $6.25 billion for Canadian company LionOre Mining International, improving on a competing bid by Swiss mining group Xstrata PLC.
The following are the most actively traded companies in Wednesday's trading among those with market capitalizations under $500 million:
| Price at | % | ||||||
| 10:01 et | Change | Change | Volume | Year High | Year Low |
