By Nicole Strandlund Business Edge

(Street Life is a regular feature that profiles what's playing in the stock market.)

Act I: Primed For A Sale

* The player: PrimeWest Energy Trust (TSX:PWI.

UN)

* Action: Up 31 per cent in a day on takeover news

* Recent Price: $26.37

* 52-week high/low: $29.21/19.46 We may have thought North Americans coined the phrase "bigger is better," but the Middle East isn't far behind.

Abu Dhabi National Energy Co. (TAQA), a state-owned energy company, bought Northrock Resources for $2 billion in May, and paid $540 million in August for Pioneer Natural Resources' Canadian assets.

But that wasn't enough.

For the third Canadian acquisition in less than five months, TAQA has announced a $5-billion deal to buy Calgary-based PrimeWest Energy Trust, a subsidiary of PrimeWest Energy Inc.

That sent PrimeWest Trust units (TSX:PWI.UN) up more than 31 per cent for the day (closing at $26.31).

Shares of the parent, PrimeWest Energy Inc. (TSX:PWX), were up six per cent or $1.07 on the day to close at $18.57.

TAQA offered $26.75 per PrimeWest Trust unit, a 24-per-cent premium over Sept. 21's close of $19.94.

Act II: Shh - It's A Secret

* The player: Torstar Corp. (TSX:TS.B)

* Action: Holding after a fall off 52-week highs in May

* Recent Price: $20.01

* 52-week high/low: $23.40/16.90 Reading a romance novel may be a guilty pleasure, but it's a popular one.

According to Romance Writers of America statistics, romance fiction generated $1.4 billion in sales in 2005 and at 26.4 per cent, held the biggest market share of all genres (next was religion/spiritual at a 25.5 per cent share).

But not everyone is comfortable reading a romance novel in public without feeling they have to hide the corset-busting picture on the front.

Harlequin Enterprises, the Canadian romance publisher, recognizes the angst of some readers, and has announced it will make every new Harlequin title available for online downloading.

Not only does this provide the closet readers some anonymity, but the change also helps the company reach the lucrative young reader market - those who might like to read on their laptop or cellphone.

Harlequin, the Toronto-based subsidiary of Torstar Corp. (publisher of the Toronto Star), sold more than 131 million books in 2006. Torstar shares have been holding at about $19.80 for the past month, after a drop from about $23.30 in May.

Act III: Not a "Dundee-l"

* The player: Dundee Wealth Inc. (TSX:DW)

* Action: Up 6 per cent or $0.81 in a month (from $12.50 Aug. 24)

* Recent Price: $18.33

* 52-week high/low: $18.90/11.88 Every seller loves a bidding war.

Recently Dundee Corp., the Toronto-based holding company dedicated to wealth management, real estate and resources, agreed to sell 18 per cent of its subsidiary DundeeWealth to the Bank of Nova Scotia (BNS) for $348 million.

BNS also offered another $260 million for Dundee Bank of Canada, a DundeeWealth unit.

Then in stepped CI Financial, the Toronto-based wealth management giant. CI offered close to $2.4 billion in an all-share deal for DundeeWealth (0.75 of a unit of CI Financial Income Fund for each DundeeWealth share).

Dundee Corp., which owns 56 per cent of DundeeWealth, has declined CI's hostile bid.

DundeeWealth shares (TSX:DW) are up to $13.31 from $12.50 Aug. 24, Dundee Corp. Class A shares (TSX:DC.A) are up to $18.80 from $16.55 Aug. 24, and CI Financial Income Fund units (TSX:CIX.UN) are up to $27 from $25.11 Aug. 24.

Act IV: Seeing The Signs

* The player: Carmanah Technologies Inc. (TSX: CMH)

* Action: Down 27 per cent or $0.44 in a month (from $1.63 Aug. 24)

* Recent Price: $1.57

* 52-week high/low: $3.60/1.13 A Victoria-based technology company said, "Let there be light," and then there was.

Carmanah Technologies Inc., a supplier of renewable and energy-efficient technologies, recently signed a $285,000 deal to supply LED internally illuminated street name signs in Manhattan, N.Y.

The signs, which are ultra-slim and have a high wind tolerance, will be installed around landmarks such as the Empire State Building, Grand Central Station, the Chrysler Building and Madison Square Garden.

Carmanah shares have been falling steadily since a peak around $2.75 in July, but lighting the nights in New York may be the spark the company needs.

NOTE: The above is not intended as investment advice to buy or sell any mentioned securities. Investors should do due diligence before investing. Quotes are based on results up to Sept. 27, 2007.

(Nicole Strandlund can be reached at nicole@businessedge.ca)