A slew of companies will be reporting third-quarter results, and investors will be watching not only for the latest figures but what companies predict about future profits.
As recession fears recede, investors show an increasing willingness to bet on another interest rate cut from the Federal Reserve.
Apple, which introduced a new line of iPods in early September, has managed to stay one step ahead of the competition--so far.
New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg was the victim of identity theft, according to the New York County District Attorney's office.
Hershey named a new chief executive and president on Tuesday, tapping chief operating officer David West, as the world's biggest chocolate maker continues to grapple with rising food prices.
Stocks are likely to see further gains in the fourth quarter but the ride may be bumpy. "October is usually volatile, but we may see a rally in November or December," says Charles Rotblut of Zacks.com.
Stocks rallied sharply during the week after the Federal Reserve surprised investors with a deeper-than-expected interest-rate cut.
Shares of Hovnanian Enterprises rose after the company said it sold more than 2,100 homes during its weekend sales campaign, according to preliminary results.
Homebuilder Hovnanian Enterprises said its weekend sales blitz on some of its hottest real estate properties was a clear success but exact figures are yet to be determined.
Stocks ended higher as investors widely expected the Federal Reserve to cut interest rates, but gains were tempered due to uncertainty regarding the magnitude of easing. The Dow Jones Industrial Average posted a weekly gain of 2.6%, the S&P 500 rose 2.1% and the Nasdaq Composite advanced 1.4%.
Data also provided by 
