Stocks Holding to Positive Route

On the merger front, Delta Air Lines (DAL Quote) completed its acquisition of Northwest Airlines (NWA Quote).

Crude oil was losing $2.58 to $64.92 a barrel. Gold was shedding $14.10 to $739.90 an ounce.

Longer-dated U.S. Treasury securities were falling in price. The 10-year note was down 20/32 to yield 3.93%, and the 30-year was declining 20/32, yielding 4.27%. The dollar was rising vs. the yen, but falling against the euro and pound.

Overseas, European exchanges including the FTSE in London and the Dax in Frankfurt were trading higher. In Asia, Japan's Nikkei and Hong Kong's Hang Seng closed with substantial gains.

(Photo gallery: Trading Faces)