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.

By David Jones

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.

By Jessica Hall

ZURICH (Reuters) - Swiss food giant Nestle <NESN.VX> may consider a bid for Britain's Cadbury <CBRY.L> to challenge a hostile 9.9 billion-pound bid by Kraft Foods Inc and a potential move by Hershey, Bloomberg reported on Sunday.

LONDON (Reuters) - Cadbury Plc <CBRY.L> would prefer a merger with U.S. chocolate maker Hershey Co <HSY.N> rather than Kraft Foods Inc <KFT.N>, the British company's chairman Roger Carr told the Sunday Telegraph newspaper.

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.

By Jessica Hall and Victoria Howley

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.

The players in the potential bidding war for British candy maker Cadbury PLC and some of their best-known products:

Hershey Co. may make a $17 billion bid for UK candy company Cadbury PLC, topping the recent $16.5 billion hostile offer by Kraft Foods Inc., the Wall Street Journal reports Friday.

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