A day for deals

All of a sudden companies - or their bankers - are willing to take out their checkbooks, which is another sign that corporate America believes the worst of the credit crisis is over. It may be true, it may be wishful thinking, but there's no denying that deals are suddenly getting done - and Wall Street is noticing (the Dow closed up 130 points). Just today:

--Hewlett Packard is in advanced talks to buy Electronic Data Systems for between $12 billion and $13 billion. (DealBook)

--Italian conglomerate Finmeccanica has agreed to buy U.S. defense-electronics firm DRS Technologies for nearly $5.3 billion.

--A consortium of banks was close to settling litigation with two private equity firms that would clear the way for the sale of Clear Channel Communications. (WSJ)