Bucyrus International Inc. (NasdaqGS: BUCY) exploded in price 28.67 percent to $89.58 Monday morning. Its pre-noon volume of 18,060,713 shares dwarfs its full-day average high of 1,896,260.  The jump comes on word that Caterpillar, the world’s largest maker of mining and construction equipment, is making a try for a $8.6-billion acquisition of Bucyrus International, a maker of draglines, drill, shovels and other equipment used by coal miners.

Ford Motor Company (NYSE: F) was among the volume leaders Monday morning, dealing in 83,650,404, surpassing the car maker’s average daily volume.  The shares price hiked 4.23 percent to $16.99. Ford announced Monday that it will introduce the battery-powered Focus compact, its first all-electric passenger car, in 19 U.S. cities in late 2011.

Thoratec Corp. (NasdaqGS: THOR) headed south in price 19.22 percent as Monday’s clock approached noon to $25.00. Volume was 7,367,749 shares, better than seven times its daily average.  The Pleasanton, Calif.-based heart device maker made news last week in announcing it was selling its diagnostic test business to private equity firm Warburg Pincus LLC for $55 million.