U.S. Stocks Gain on Earnings, M&A; Target, Medtronic, Alcoa Lead Advance

(Bloomberg) -- U.S. stocks rose after Target Corp.
and Medtronic Inc. reported profit that beat analysts' estimates
and investors speculated that Alcoa Inc. is a takeover target.

Retailers led gains in the Standard & Poor's 500 Index after
Target, the second-largest U.S. discount chain, said cost cutting
boosted earnings. Medtronic, the biggest maker of electronic
heart devices, had the second-biggest advance in the S&P 500.
Alcoa climbed to an almost six-year high after Alcan Inc. said
the aluminum producer may have made its $24.7 hostile takeover
offer to fend off a bid itself.


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