Closing Bell: Merger Mania fails to wake buyers (BAC, C, GE, DNA, GERN, HGSI, WFC)

Bank of America Corporation (NYSE: BAC) was up after Barron's reported that this was no Citigroup Inc. (NYSE: C), and that it could rise substantially from here. B of A also has an FDIC-backed bond issue being sold today to bolster capital. B of A shares were up 15% to $3.62 and Citi shares were flat at $1.03 right before the close.

General Electric Company (NYSE: GE) rose further on word that it was selling more government backed debt. This one was up almost 5% to $7.38 right before the close.

Genentech Inc. (NYSE: DNA) rose on reports that the company is close to accepting a $95.00 buyout offer from Roche to get the board to go along with the multi-billion acquisition of the world's largest biotech company. This stock was up 2% to $92.68 right before the close.

Geron Corporation (NASDAQ: GERN) was a huge winner in the land of stem cell research today. Shares were up 17% to $4.56 late in the day, which was actually well off of pre-market highs. President Obama signed an executive order which will lift the ban on embryonic stem cell research. Just keep in mind that this should have been a known event.

Human Genome Sciences Inc. (NASDAQ: HGSI) was a major disappointment today and the worst performing stock of the day. Shares were down a sharp 62% at $0.63 late in the day. The company originally reported that its Hepatitis C trials met the primary goals of the study. But further analysis showed that the results were not worth more than anything already out. Shares were down 63% at $0.62 before the end of the day.

Wells Fargo & Company (NYSE: WFC) rose sharply after Warren Buffett talked the stock up on a CNBC interview today. Here Buffett said how the operations were running well and will be very profitable through time. This one was up 15% at $9.93 right before the close.