Stocks Open with Slight Gains

U.S. stocks opened slightly higher on Tuesday after data showed a rise in home prices and home-
building permits. The Dow Jones Industrial Average lately rose 16.86 points, or 0.10%, to
16,089.40. The S&P 500 edged up 0.65 point, or 0.04%, to 1,803.13. The Nasdaq Composite was off
1.24 points, or 0.03%, to 3,993.33.

U.S. home prices in September grew at the slowest monthly pace since February, adding to other
recent evidence that the housing market’s rebound is starting to slow. On a year-over-year basis,
home prices grew 13.3% in September, the fastest annual pace since February 2006.

Permits to build new U.S. homes climbed 6.2% in October to the highest level in more than five
years, mainly because of a big increase in applications to construct apartments and other multi-
family dwellings.

Men’s Wearhouse Inc (NYSE:MW) offered to buy fellow retailer Jos. A. Bank Clothiers Inc
(NasdaqGS:JOSB) for $1.5 billion, less than two weeks after Jos. A. Bank walked away from its own
offer to acquire its larger rival.

Argentina said on Tuesday that a pending deal with Spanish oil major Repsol is aimed atkick-
starting shale drilling in the South American country, putting an end to the long stand-off
between energy investorsand President Cristina Fernandez.

British pharmaceutical firm BTG said U.S. regulators had approved its varicose veintreatment that
uses an injectable foam to dissolve the veins asan alternative to surgical removal.