U.S. stocks finished higher on Monday, with all three major indexes rising about 2 percent, as investors received a positive report on merger activity. In world markets, European stocks finished higher, led by the CAC 40 in France rising 0.8 percent. Asian markets also ended higher, led by the Hang Seng in Hong Kong rising 3.3 percent. The Dow Jones industrial average rose 213.88, or 1.9 percent, to 11,482.90. The broader Standard & Poor's 500 index rose 25.68, or 2.2 percent, to 1,204.49. The technology-heavy Nasdaq composite index rose 47.22, or 1.9 percent, to 2,555.20.
