Evergreen Solar Inc. (ESLR US) rose 18 cents, or 2.2
percent, to $8.53. The company has a technology that allows
solar-panel manufacturers to use less silicon to produce energy,
Shawn Kravetz, founder and president of Esplanade Capital LLC,
told Barron's.
Ford Motor Co. (F US) added 15 cents, or 1.8 percent, to
$8.39. Alchemy Partners LLP is preparing a 3 billion pound ($6
billion) bid for Ford's luxury car brands Land Rover and Jaguar,
CityAM reported, citing Jon Moulton, managing partner of the
private equity firm. He told the London-based free newspaper the
two marques share similar platforms and were the two brands he
was most interested in.
Separately, the second-biggest U.S. automaker, along with
General Motors Corp. (GM US) and DaimlerChrysler AG's (DCX US),
may create an independent health-insurance fund to trim their
combined $114 billion in future retiree health-care obligations,
five people with direct knowledge of the talks said. General
Motors shares gained 34 cents, or 1.1 percent, to $31.34.
DaimlerChrysler shares jumped 30 cents to $88.15.
H&R Block Inc. (HRB US) rose $1.13, or 5 percent, to $23.65.
The biggest U.S. tax preparer had its stock rating raised to
``buy'' by UBS AG analyst Kelly Flynn, who said the company may
be the target of a leveraged buyout after the sale of its
mortgage unit. Flynn increased her recommendation from
``neutral,'' she said in a note to clients. The planned sale of
the mortgage unit will probably come in the next six months and
raise about $400 million, Flynn wrote.
