IBT Staff Reporter

Stocks edged higher on Monday as a flurry of acquisition activity boosted optimism about share prices and oil prices eased from earlier highs sparked by tensions in the Middle East.

The Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA) said worldwide sales of semiconductors for the month of January rose 14.0 percent from last year to $25.5 billion on significant growth across all major end-use sectors. Sequentially, sales increased 1.5 percent.

A spike in food and oil prices has made the threat of inflation more acute, leading central banks said on Monday, but they warned tightening of policy in response will not proceed at the same pace.

Terumo Corp <4543.T> said it would buy U.S. medical device company CaridianBCT from a Swedish firm for about $2.6 billion, marking the largest acquisition by a Japanese medical equipment maker.

Terumo Corp <4543.T> said it would buy U.S. medical device company CaridianBCT from a Swedish firm for about $2.6 billion, marking the largest acquisition by a Japanese medical equipment maker.

Etihad Airways inked a $1.5 billion deal with Engine Alliance, owned by General Electric and United Technologies unit Pratt & Whitney, to provide engines for its planned fleet of Airbus A380 aircraft.

The Federal Reserve cannot rule out expanding its $600 billion stimulus as political upheaval in the Middle East and North Africa heighten U.S. economic uncertainty, a top Fed official said on Monday.

U.S. stocks were set to open slightly higher on Monday as investors weighed a batch of acquisition activity against another climb in oil prices on unrest in the Middle East and North Africa.

Apple iPad 2 launch caught its rival's off-guard, as it upped the ante with a slimmer, faster and lighter rendition while retaining the virtues of the older iPad.

The U.S. government reiterated that it could tap its strategic oil reserves in order to safeguard economic growth as surging gasoline prices increase pressure for action.

France's finance ministry was subject to a cyberattack in December targeting information related to its presidency of the Group of 20 nations, officials said on Monday.

France's LVMH will take over Italy's Bulgari in a 3.7 billion euros ($5.19 billion) deal to add luster to the No.1 luxury group's jewelry business and bring it more exposure to emerging markets.

Stock index futures rose on Monday, indicating Wall Street will recover from Friday's losses even as oil prices continued to spike on unrest in the Middle East and North Africa.

College sports biggest tournament is coming to the Apple iPad, iPhone and iPod Touch.

Moody's slashed Greece's credit rating on Monday on fears the country's efforts to cut its debt will not be enough, heaping further pressure on EU leaders to ease repayment terms on its bailout loans or risk a default.

France's finance ministry was subject to a cyberattack in December targeting information related to its presidency of the Group of 20 nations, officials said on Monday.

Corrects nationality of EADS in paragraph 3

Lady Gaga has apparently threatened to sue the makers of ice cream - titled Baby Gaga - made from human breast milk.

Carmakers are fast developing cars that could use advanced WiFi signals and GPS systems, which would allow cars to communicate with fellow cars on roads, which would warn and prevent potential accidents.

ArcelorMittal , Vale and Xstrata are among six bidders short-listed to develop Mongolia's Tavan Tolgoi mine, the world's largest untapped coking coal deposit, Mongolia said on Monday.

Countries that have come to depend on China for large amounts of rare earths metals should understand that Beijing has environmental concerns for curtailing exports, the Chinese Commerce Minister Chen Deming said on Monday.

Moody's slashed Greece's credit rating on Monday on fears the country's efforts to cut its debt will not be enough, heaping further pressure on EU leaders to ease repayment terms on its bailout loans or risk a default.

Moody's cut Greece's credit rating by three notches and kept it on review for further downgrades on Monday, citing significant risks to its fiscal restructuring program and the chance of a voluntary debt restructuring.

Japanese medical equipment firm Terumo Corp <4543.T> plans to buy U.S. medical device company CaridianBCT from Sweden's Gambro AB for $2.6 billion, joining a list of firms eyeing to expand abroad via acquisitions.

French luxury group LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton SA will take over Italy's Bulgari SpA in an 3.7 billion-euro all-share deal, paying a premium of almost 60 percent for the high-end watches and jewelry maker.

Zurich-based travel group Kuoni Reisen Holding AG announced an agreement to acquire Gullivers Travel Associates (GTA) for $720 million from New York-based Travelport to boost its online offerings.

Japanese medical equipment firm Terumo Corp said on Monday it plans to buy U.S. medical device company CaridianBCT from Sweden's Gambro AB for $2.6 billion, in a move that will make it the world's biggest equipment-maker for blood banks.

China's largest metals trader has called for government to consolidate the rare earth industry and nurture competitive domestic firms in the sector, the Xinhua reported today.

Crude oil prices jumped to a 2-1/2-year peak on Monday as worries about supply disruption increased due to widening clashes in Libya, while world stocks fell on concern sustained high oil prices could hurt growth.