Late Climb Lifts Wall Street

As is often the case, the new week started with the announcement of several takeover deals. The biggest will see New Jersey's Schering-Plough (SGP Quote) pay $14.5 billion for the Organon BioSciences unit of the Netherlands' Akzo Nobel (AKZOY Quote). Schering-Plough added 10 cents, or 0.4%, to $23.95.

Staying in the health care sector, UnitedHealth (UNH Quote) will acquire Sierra Health Services (SIE Quote) in a deal worth $2.6 billion. Sierra, which is valued at $43.50 a share in the transaction, jumped 15.8% to end at $41.57.

Another big arrangement will see acquisitive buyout firm Kohlberg Kravis Roberts take over Dollar General (DG Quote) for $7 billion, before the assumption of debt. Shares of Dollar General surged 25.6% to close at $21.07.

Elsewhere, Ford (F Quote) confirmed that it will sell its Aston Martin business in a deal that values the brand at $925 million. Ford will retain a $77 million stake in the business. The automaker's shares eased 11 cents, or 1.4%, at $7.82.

As for earnings, video-game maker Take-Two (TTWO Quote) posted a narrower-than-expected fiscal first-quarter loss. Earnings and revenue for the quarter topped the Thomson First Call consensus. Still, the stock reversed earlier strength and finished down 20 cents, or 1%, at $20.07.