Although we don't believe in timing the market or panicking over market movements, we do like to keep an eye on big changes -- just in case they're material to our investing thesis.

What: Shares of Goodrich Petroleum (NYSE: GDP) soared as much as 11% in early trading after BHP Billiton (NYSE: BHP) offered $12.1 billion in cash for nearby Petrohawk (NYSE: HK).

So what: This is what happens in buyouts, Fool. Anything that smells like the acquired company rises. Shares of Rackspace Hosting (NYSE: RAX) went nuts in January when Verizon (NYSE: VZ) bid $1.4 billion for Terremark Worldwide, a peer in the Web hosting business.

Now what: Far as we know, AT&T hasn't tried to purchase Rackspace, and just because Petrohawk is exiting into BHP's arms doesn't mean we'll see a deep-pocketed suitor show up at Goodrich's door, either. Stay focused on the fundamentals, and the rest will take care of itself. Do you agree? Disagree? Feel free to weigh in using the comments box below.

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