No news is good news for US markets as the major indices gapped way up. However, some hot mergers were announced as AT&T (NYSE:T) plans to purchase T-Mobile and OptionsXpress (NASDAQ:OXPS) is being taken over by Charles Schwab (NYSE:SCHW).

Here are a few of today’s most active stocks trading pre-market:

1) Shutterfly Inc. (NASDAQ:SFLY): Shares internet-based photo-publishing company are down $0.77 or 1.79% after announcing a $333 million deal for the purchase of a privately-held operator of two online card and stationary sites. The company also raised revenue estimates for the quarter.

2) MetLife Inc. (NYSE:MET): Shares of the insurance provider are down $0.06 or 0.14% after announcing that current CIO, Steven R. Kandarian will succeed current CEO C. Robert Henrikson in 2012. Mr. Henrikson will reach the company’s mandatory retirement age.

3) LTC Properties Inc. (NYSE:LTC): Shares of the healthcare REIT are flat at $28.63 after a 1.17% up day. after announcing  a plan to offer 3.5 million more shares of common stock. The company looks to raise capital as it is restructuring its balance sheet.

4) Invesco Mortgage Capital Inc. (NYSE:IVR): Shares of company focused on managing residential and commercial mortgage backed securities are down $0.69 or 3.11% after reporting that it plans to sell 19 million shares of common stock. The plan would increase the shares outstanding by over 35%.

5) James River Coal Co. (NASDAQ:JRCC): Shares of the steam producer and coal miner are down $1.16 or 4.99% after announcing a plan to sell 6 million shares of common stocks. The company looks to raise capital in order to acquire private-held International Resource Partners LP.

Keep these stocks on your watch list for today’s trading. Good luck out there!

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