icrosoft Deal Lifts Nuance Stock; Tesla Gets an Upgrade

The Nasdaq Composite (NASDAQINDEX: ^IXIC) got off to a quiet start on Monday, easing lower by about a third of a percent by 1:30 p.m. EDT. Unlike some other major market benchmarks, the Nasdaq has remained below its record highs from February, but it wouldn't take much of a gain to send the index into uncharted territory as well. Strategic moves among major companies listed on the Nasdaq might prove to be the catalyst for a record run, and Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT) added some fuel to the mergers and acquisitions (M&A) fire with a sizable deal.