keywords: merger stocks kmart sears cp
text: Stocks close up on retail merger but off highs on oil price &lt;b&gt;...&lt;/b&gt; TORONTO (CP) - Stocks finished higher Wednesday but well off highs of the day, as a runup in the price of oil cooled investor response to a merger between US retail giants Kmart and Sears, Roebuck and strong economic data.