New York  - US stocks were mixed Monday as billionaire Warren Buffett financed the 23-billion-dollar takeover of candy company Wm Wrigley Jr Co and investor Kirk Kerkorian bought a large stake in Ford Motor Co.

Wrigley, the world's biggest maker of chewing gum, jumped the most since at least 1980 after Mars Inc, backed by Buffett, agreed to acquire the company for 28 per cent more than its Friday closing price.

Ford rallied after Kerkorian said that he bought 4.7 per cent of the second-largest US automaker and plans to buy more.

Microsoft Corp slumped for a second day, helping drag the Standard & Poor's 500 Index and Dow Jones Industrial Average lower on speculation that the world's largest software company will have to increase its bid to acquire Yahoo Inc.

The blue-chip Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 20.11 points, or 0.16 per cent, to 12,871.75. The broader Standard & Poor 500 Index was down 1.47 points, or 0.11 per cent, to 1,396.37. The Nasdaq Composite Index rose 1.47 points, or 0.06 per cent, to 2,424.4.

The dollar fell against the euro to 63.86 euro cents from 63.98 euro cents on Friday, and to 104.08 Japanese yen from 104.43 yen.

Gold rose 5.8 dollars to 895.50 dollars per fine ounce. (dpa)