The markets opened mixed with the Dow slipping 18 points to 13,325 while Nasdaq added 3 points to 3009 as investors continued to monitor corporate earnings.
On the upside
Permira will take Ancestry.com (Nasdaq: ACOM) private in a deal valued at approximately $1.6 billion.
Peabody Energy (NYSE: BTU) reported sharply lower third quarter earnings but the results surpassed analyst expectations by a wide margin and the company forecast full year earnings ahead of estimates.
Supervalu (NYSE: SVU) continued rising on reports that it may be acquired.
On the downside
Overseas Shipholding Group (NYSE: OSG) may have to restate financial statements as far back as 2008 and warned that it may file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.
The Canadian government blocked Petronas' offer to acquire Progress Energy Resources which has threatened to derail China National Offshore's $15.2 billion bid for Nexen (NYSE: NXY).
European regulators rejected Vivus' (Nasdaq: VVUS) obesity treatment Qsiva.
In the broad market, advancing issues outpaced decliners by a margin of nearly 5 to 4 on both the NYSE and on Nasdaq. The Russell 2000 which tracks small cap stocks eased a fraction to 820.
Mixed Open Over Earnings
October 22, 2012 at 11:43 AM EDT
