Warner Chilcott (WCRX - option chain) shares are rising today after the Food and Drug Administration approved its next generation ACTONEL product for the treatment of postmenopausal osteoporosis. WCRX will market the drug as Atelvia. If you think that the stock won't fall by too much in the coming months, then now could be a good time to look at a bullish hedged trade on WCRX.

WCRX opened this morning at $23.00. So far today the stock has hit a low of $22.88 and a high of $24.34. As of 12:10, WCRX is trading at $23.75 up 1.50 (6.7%). The chart for WCRX looks neutral and S&P gives WCRX a neutral 3 STARS (out of 5) hold ranking.

Today was starting out as another one of those irrational exuberance days with shares gaining, despite a Nouriel Roubini panning of the economy for a double-dip recession.

But when you factor in Meredith Whitney comments and Dick Bove calling for more bank closures, the sellers put a lid on the market. Today's last two hours were a total coin toss as to whether we'd close up or down today for the day.

Here were today's unofficial closing bell levels:

Dow 9,509.28 +3.32 (0.03%)
S&P 500 1,025.56 -0.57 (-0.06%)
Nasdaq 2,017.98 -2.92 (-0.14%)

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The dealmaking continues apace in the drug sector. Today, Warner Chilcott plc (NASDAQ: WCRX) agreed to shell out $3.1 billion for the global pharma business of Procter & Gamble (NYSE: PG). The deal is all-cash.

There are several megatrends driving the pharma deals. First, it's getting tougher to produce new drugs. And unfortunately, many pharma companies are running out on the patent protection of key money-makers. At the same time, President Obama is intent on getting some type of reform in health care.

As earnings season begins to wind down, some apparel retailers are scheduled to report quarterly results this week. Analysts polled by Thomson Reuters anticipate that Walmart Stores Inc. (NYSE: WMT), the 800-pound gorilla in the space, will report that it earned $0.77 per share in the first quarter, about the same as in the first quarter of last year. But JCPenney Co. (NYSE: JCP), Kohl's Corp. (NYSE: KSS), Nordstrom Inc. (NYSE: JWN), and Urban Outfitters Inc. (NASDAQ: URBN) are expected to report lower profits for the first quarter as consumers continued to hold off on spending. Macy's Inc. (NYSE: M) and Abercrombie & Fitch Co. (NYSE: ANF) are expected to have swung to a loss year over year.

Whole Foods Market Inc. (NASDAQ: WFMI) and Winn Dixie Stores Inc. (NASDAQ: WINN) are likewise expected to report declining earnings, while the Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Co. (NYSE: GAP), parent of the A&P supermarket chain, is expected to have narrowed its net loss 68.9% to $0.28 per share.

Monday, July 14

• Novellus Systems Inc. (NASDAQ: NVLS) to report Q2 earnings; conference call at 4:30 pm.
• Genentech Inc. (NYSE: DNA) to report Q2 earnings; conference call at 4:45 pm.

Tuesday, July 15

• PDUFA date for Sciele Pharma, Inc. (SCRX)'s NDA for Aquelle for the treatment of head lice by asphyxiation.
• Johnson & Johnson (NYSE: JNJ) to report Q3 earnings; conference call at 8:30 am.
• Senate Finance Committee: International Enforcement of Intellectual Property Rights meeting at 10:00 am with Sony Corp. (NYSE: SNE) and Pfizer Inc. (NYSE: PFE) appearing.