Stocks opened higher, indicating some investor optimism at the start of the heaviest week of earnings reporting this quarter. Each of the major averages opened higher, but the Dow has been the only one to remain above water. The Nasdaq and S&P have struggled since the bell rang, but remain within striking distance of the flat line. ECONOMIC EVENTS: In the U.S., the Chicago Fed’s national activity index rose to 0.17 in September from a revised reading of -0.37 for August. COMPANY NEWS: Cisco (CSCO) announced a definitive agreement to acquire BroadSoft (BSFT) for $55 per share, in cash, or an aggregate purchase price of approximately $1.9B net of cash, assuming the conversion of debt. The acquisition of BroadSoft “reinforces Cisco’s commitment to Unified Communications and enhances its ability to address the millions of aging TDM lines poised to transition to IP technology and cloud native solutions over the coming years,” the company stated… In other M&A news, Hartford Financial (HIG) announced a deal to acquire Aetna’s (AET) U.S. group life and disability business for $1.45B in cash. Shares of The Hartford, which also reported better than expected core earnings, increased its dividend 9% and suspended additional share repurchases under its existing buyback program, fell 4% near midday, while Aetna shares rose about 1%.MAJOR MOVERS: Among the notable gainers was Aimmune (AIMT), which jumped 29% as a result of its competitor DBV Technologies’ (DBVT) Viaskin Peanut missing a minimum efficacy measure compared to placebo in a study of the potential allergy treatment for children. Also higher following their earnings reports were Seagate (STX) and VF Corp. (VFC), which gained 12% and 6%, respectively. Among the noteworthy losers was DBV Technologies, which dropped 46% after Viaskin Peanut’s efficacy in a late-stage trial was disappointing compared to expectations. Also lower following their earnings reports were Hasbro (HAS), which fell over 9%, and Halliburton (HAL), which dipped 1.5%. INDEXES: Near midday, the Dow was up 24.73, or 0.11%, to 23,353.36, the Nasdaq was down 15.44, or 0.23%, to 6,613.62 and the S&P 500 was down 1.02, or 0.04%, to 2,574.19.