MARKET SNAPSHOT: U.S. Stocks Rise Sharply On Deal News; Charter Rallies

By Anora Mahmudova, MarketWatch

NEW YORK (MarketWatch) -- U.S. stocks rose sharply on Monday, as deal news among drug and telecom companies and stronger-than-expected pending-home sales figures boosted sentiment.

The market wobbled temporarily in early trade after the White House announced a new wave of sanctions against Russia, but quickly recovered.

The S&P 500 (SPX) was 12 points, or 0.7%, higher at 1,874.74. The Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJI) gained 127 points, or 0.8%, to 16,488.42. The Nasdaq Composite (RIXF) rose 31 points, or 0.8%, to 4,107.07.

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A gauge of pending-home sales rose 3.4% in March -- the first gain in nine months -- signaling that sales of existing homes may pick up, the National Association of Realtors reported Monday.

This week, investors will focus on earnings and economic reports as well as the Federal Open Market Committee meeting. The Fed is expected to announce further trimming of the bond-buying program by $10 billion. GDP data, set for release Wednesday, will likely show the economy expanded 1% in the first quarter. Nonfarm-payrolls data are scheduled for release Friday and are forecast to show that more than 200,000 jobs were added to the U.S. economy in April.

In corporate news, shares in Charter Communications Inc. (CCMMV) rallied 7.7% on news that Comcast Corp. (CMCSA) plans to sell nearly 4 million extra subscribers in a two-staged deal with Charter Communications -- representing a consolation prize for Charter's eight-month pursuit of Time Warner Cable Inc. (TWC). Investors shrugged off Charter's first-quarter earnings, announcing a net loss of 35 cents a share on revenue of $2.2 billion, while analysts expected a profit of 10 cents on revenue of $2.18 billion.

Shares in Comcast and Time Warner rose by 1%.

U.S.-listed shares of AstraZeneca PLC (AZN) leapt 15% after Pfizer Inc. (PFE) confirmed it has approached the drug maker for a second time about a takeover valued at nearly $100 billion. Pfizer said in a statement that the merger would result in a more efficient tax structure as AstraZeneca's non-U.S. profits wouldn't be subject to U.S. tax. Pfizer shares were up 2.9%, leading the Dow industrials.

Franklin Resources Inc. (BEN) reported second-quarter earnings of 89 cents a share, in line with expectations. Shares fell 0.9%.

After the closing bell, Herbalife (HLF) is expected to report first-quarter earnings of $1.30 a share on revenue of $1.24 billion.

Furiex Pharmaceuticals Inc. (FURX) surged 28% after Forest Laboratories Inc. (FRX) said it would buy the company for $1.1 billion in cash.

In other financial markets, Asian bourses closed mostly lower, while European stocks posted broad-based gains. Metals were mixed (GCM4), and oil futures (CLM4) advanced. The dollar weakened against most other major currencies.

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