The markets extended its gains during the midday with the Dow leaping 162 points to 16,136. Nasdaq jumped 74 points to 4,412.
On the upside
Shares of SunEdison (NYSE: SUNE) climbed as arguments began in a lawsuit to block the company's $1.9 billion acquisition of Vivint Solar (NYSE: VSLR).
Rockwell Medical (Nasdaq: RMTI) entered an exclusive license agreement for Wanbang Biopharmaceutical to commercialize Rockwell's Triferic and Calcitriol for End-Stage-Renal Disease patients.
Sonus Networks (Nasdaq: SONS) swung to a greater than expected profit for the fourth quarter and forecast current quarter results ahead of estimates.
On the downside
Tonix Pharmaceuticals (Nasdaq: TNXP) reported disappointing results from a Phase 2 proof-of-concept clinical study of TNX-201 in episodic tension-type headache.
Retreating crude oil prices weighed down shares of Bonanza Creek Energy (NYSE: BCEI).
Shares of Kinross Gold (NYSE: KGC) slipped as gold prices fell.
In the broad market, advancing issues outpaced decliners by a margin of nearly 4 to 1 on both the NYSE and on Nasdaq. The broader S&P 500 leaped 22 points to 1,887. Bitcoin climbed $9 to $408.