Stocks Rise on Earnings, Potash Bid; Treasuries Fall, Oil Gains

Stocks advanced, sending the Standard & Poor’s 500 Index to its biggest gain in two weeks, as profits beat estimates and a $39 billion bid for Potash Corp. of Saskatchewan Inc. sparked a rally in agricultural companies. Oil halted a five-day slump, while Treasuries and the dollar fell.

The S&P 500 climbed 1.2 percent to 1,092.6 at 4 p.m. in New York, the most since Aug. 2. The Stoxx Europe 600 Index added 1.1 percent. Oil increased 0.6 percent to $75.70 a barrel. The 10-year Treasury note’s yield gained 7 basis points to 2.63 percent after sliding to a more than 16-month low yesterday. Spanish and Irish bonds rose as borrowing costs fell at government debt sales, signaling concern has eased the nations will struggle to fund budget deficits.