Manitowoc Inc <MTW.N> said on Monday it had beat out Illinois Tool Works Inc <ITW.N> (ITW) in the official auction for British kitchen equipment maker Enodis Plc <ENO.L>.

A $2.1 billion bid by Manitowoc Company Inc. for Enodis PLC was endorsed by the British cooking equipment supplier Tuesday, ending a takeover fight with Illinois Tool Works.

Industrial products and equipment manufacturer Illinois Tool Works Inc. spent $211,000 lobbying the federal government in the first quarter, according to a recent disclosure report.

Stocks finished mixed as an early rally fizzled and weakness crept into techs, retail and housing.

Stocks advanced Monday as an uptick in leading indicators offered investors a modest confirmation of the optimism they've been trading on.

Stocks opened flat Monday as high oil prices fueled concerns about the weary consumer and there was fresh chatter that the credit crunch isn't yet over.

Stocks bounced back from the prior session's slide, led by techs and materials, as techs staged a rebound and materials benefited from higher metal prices. Better-than-expected retail sales also buoyed the market.  Financials declined after federal regulators proposed increased oversight of investment banks.

Stocks bounced back Thursday following a sharp drop in jobless claims and better-than-expected monthly sales from Wal-Mart.

Britain's Enodis has agreed to be bought by Illinois Tool Works for 1.03 billion pounds ($2 billion), turning its back on the agreed 948 million pounds ($1.9 billion) takeover by U.S.-based Manitowoc.