Merger and acquisition activity boosted the markets to a higher close with the Dow climbing 88 points to 18,956. Nasdaq gained 47 points 5,368.
On the upside
Microvision (Nasdaq: MVIS) signed a patent license agreement allowing ODM to make and sell Laser Beam Scanning engines using Macrovision's PicoP scanning technology.
AgroFresh Solutions (Nasdaq: AGFS) extended its gains.
Rising crude oil prices lifted shares of Chesapeake Energy (NYSE: CHK) and Whiting Petroleum (NYSE: WLL).
On the downside
DryShips (Nasdaq: DRYS) settled an outstanding loan obligation with one of its lenders and closed a registered direct offering.
Sino-Global Shipping (Nasdaq: SINO) extended its losses.
Analysts expect Adverum Biotechnologies (Nasdaq: ADVM) to post a loss for the fourth quarter.
In the broad market, advancing issues outpaced decliners by a margin of 3 to 1 on the NYSE and by more than 7 to 5 on Nasdaq. The broader S&P 500 soared 16 points to 2,198. Bitcoin climbed $10 to $736.
