Jeffrey Kindler (L), Chairman and CEO of Pfizer, and Bernard Poussot, Chairman and CEO of Wyeth, shake hands after a news conference announcing the merger of the two companies in New York, Jan. 26, 2009. Pfizer Inc, the No. 1 drugmaker, said it would acquire U.S. rival Wyeth for about $68 billion in a move to diversify its revenue base.

NEW YORK, Jan. 26 (Xinhua) -- U.S. stocks advanced on Monday over a takeover deal in the drug industry that offset a grim warning about poor corporate earnings.

Pfizer is spending 68 billion U.S. dollars to buy Wyeth. The deal will increase Pfizer's revenue by 50 percent and change it from a pure pharmaceutical company into a diversified health care giant.

British bank Barclays said it would not need to raise more capital, which helped boost investors' confidence and sent its shares up.

A report released on Monday showed that the existing home sales rose 6.5 percent in December to an annual rate of 4.74 million units, adding to the stocks' gains.

Credit ratings agency Standard & Poor did not lower General Electric's investment grade ratings despite its 44 percent drop in fourth-quarter profit, which lifted GE shares by 4 percent.

However, negative news still weighed on the market, limiting the gains. Rohm & Haas says Dow Chemical does not plan to close the pendingacquisition of the specialty chemicals maker by the Jan. 27 closing date. Rohm & Haas shares plunged.

Caterpillar Inc., the world's top mining and construction equipment maker, reported a 32-percent drop in its fourth-quarter profit. Caterpillar is also expecting sharply lower results this year as the world economy continues to contract.

Third-largest U.S. wireless provider Sprint Nextel Corp. said on Monday that it is cutting about 8,000 positions in the first quarter which could bring down annual costs by 1.2 billion dollars.

The Dow Jones industrial average rose 38.47 points, or 0.48 percent, to 8,116.03. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index added 4.62 points, or 0.56 percent, to 836.57. The Nasdaq Composite Index gained 12.17 points, or 0.82 percent, to 1,489.46.