THE CLOSE

Markets closed near their highs led by metals, retail, homies, oils, brokers and semis while utilities, biotechs, drugs and reits lagged.

The MID was the best performing major index followed by the NAZ and the big caps.

Big winners included CTSH INFY EBAY APOL MICC SHLD TGT ROK CAT CBS XOM BIDU WBD DRYS SPAN and BTJ.

Big losers included SYNL DWSN MTOX EOC SPEC IP ETR BMY VZ ATI SO GM GENZ AKAM XMSR ADSK INTU and BEAS.

Brokers/Xchanges/PE stocks acted well led by BOT CME GS ICE NMX and NYX;

Gaming also acting well as MGM hit another new high;

Just about every metal stock higher led by ABER BHP FCX GDX PAAS and SSRI;

About 30 oil stocks on my screen and all higher cept for one- DVN- leaders inlcuded HOC TSO XOM CAM CNX EAC and RIG- most also with 2 day RSI readings at/near 95;

About 15 retail stocks on the screen and all green but UA - leaders COST CROX CWTR HD M SHLD and TGT;

The NDX showed about 7 out of 10 issues higher while the OEX had a little more than 6 out of 10 in the green.

The VIX closed down near 14.72 and trades about 8% below its 10 day SMA. The 2 day RSI on most of the major indexes in over bought territory so maybe a rally into the beginning of the week on more merger news than a sell off as traders take profits.