Stocks edge higher after drifting in early trade

Stocks finished slightly higher on Monday, adding to the small gains the market carved out at the end of last week.

A dearth of fresh economic data had many investors focusing on headline-grabbing corporate deals, including a $48.5 billion bid by AT&T to acquire satellite TV provider DirecTV and a joint venture between Johnson Controls and a Chinese company that will form the world’s largest maker of automotive interiors.