Stocks snapped a three-day losing streak Monday after an encouraging report on existing-home sales and a pullback in the dollar.

Stocks rallied Monday after an encouraging report on existing-home sales and a pullback in the dollar.

Stocks opened higher Monday as the dollar pullled back and gold hit a new record above $1,170 an ounce. The Dow was up more than 100 points at the open and continued higher after a report showed a sharp jump in existing-home sales.

A holiday-shortened trading week begun with all signs pointing to a higher open for Wall Street on Monday, with the dollar weakening and gold hitting a new record high above $1,167 an ounce.

Speculation about a bid battle for Cadbury among Kraft Foods and other rivals lifted shares in the British confectioner to a new high on Monday but analysts doubt whether a competing bid will emerge.

U.S. chocolate maker Hershey is considering launching a bid of at least $17 billion for British chocolatier Cadbury as it seeks to trump a hostile offer by Kraft Foods Inc, a source familiar with the matter said on Friday.

Stocks snapped a three-day winning streak on Wednesday after a report showed housing starts fell sharply in October. Techs took a hit after weak outlooks from two software firms.

Stocks opened slightly lower Wednesday as investors grew jittery over a government report showing that housing starts fell sharply in October.

Stocks opened slightly lower Wednesday as investors grew jittery over a government report showing that housing starts fell sharply in October.

Stocks were poised for a slightly lower open as investors grew jittery over a government report showing that housing starts took a dramatic decline in October.

Shares of British chocolate maker Cadbury rose back above 800 pence for the first time in almost a month on hopes Hershey and Ferrero would mount a bid to rival that of U.S. food giant Kraft.

Hedge fund billionaire John Paulson raised his firm's stake in Cadbury on Wednesday and now holds 2.54 percent of the British confectioner, the subject of a hostile bid by U.S. food group Kraft.

In her biggest gambit yet for Kraft Foods, Irene Rosenfeld just won't blink. Rosenfeld took her offer for British chocolatier Cadbury hostile on Monday, submitting to its shareholders a $16.4 billion cash and stock bid rejected as "derisory" by the company's leadership.

When you have an initial bid rejected as derisory it is probably not a good idea to come back with a lower offer expecting a big change of heart from your prey.

Kraft Foods turned hostile in its bid for Cadbury on Monday, making a formal but unchanged takeover offer; the British chocolate maker's board rejected the bid saying it was "derisory."