Robotic toy hamsters, the latest Barbie dolls and stylish boots are disappearing from store shelves as holiday shoppers start to get serious. But don't confuse this with the days of Tickle Me Elmo.

Among the stock activity stories for Monday, Nov. 9, from AP Financial News:

Shares of toy maker Hasbro Inc. rose on Monday, after an analyst said the company has strong product cycle coming up in 2011 and upgraded the stock.

A lucky swap and some eager building propelled a 19-year-old Norwegian student to the top of board game fame and sent three would-be tycoons to the poor house at the Monopoly World Championship in Las Vegas.

Stocks rallied Monday, after a wobbly start, as investors were optimistic about the slew of earnings ahead.

Stocks rallied Monday, after a wobbly start, as techs dragged but investors were optimistic about the slew of earnings ahead.

Stocks moved higher Monday, after a wobbly start, as techs dragged but investors were optimistic about the slew of earnings ahead.

Hasbro Inc, the nation's second biggest toymaker, said Monday its profit rose 8.8 percent in the third quarter, helped by lower costs and slightly higher sales of Transformers and G.I. Joe toys.

Good news for a Monday morning: stock index futures are pointing to a modestly higher open this morning, rather than what happened exactly 22 years ago today - the infamous crash of 1987. 

Just in time for the holidays and its upcoming 30th anniversary, a new high-tech, touch screen Rubik’s Cube hits stores shelves this weekend.

What will Santa have in his bag this holiday season? Toys ‘R Us, the largest U.S. toy retailer, has issued its forecast for the hottest toys .  With consumers still watching their spending carefully, one theme that stands out  is a focus on value. Toys on the list range from $10 (squeaking Zhu Zhu interactive hamsters )  to about $350 (Disney 's  Netpals netbook computer).  Click ahead to see which toys made the cut. 

The nation's biggest toy-store chain is placing its holiday bets — and because the stakes are high, the prices are lower.

Monopoly is being reinvented for the digital age as Google teams up with the board game’s producer Hasbro to make an online version.

A late rally pushed stocks higher Tuesday following better-than-expected earnings from several Dow components. The Dow logged its seventh-straight gain, the Nasdaq, it's tenth.

The Dow advanced Tuesday as a slew of components beat earnings expectations. But there were pockets of weakness throughout the market, including chips, hardware, banks and retail. The Nasdaq was lower.