Sony shares rose as much as 3% on Tuesday in Japan on rumors it could be a potential acquisition target of Apple. But the media reports that the traders cited were apparently just musings by columnist Eric Savitz of Barron's.
Some of the day's top online stories for investors, including Warren Buffett's worst trade ever, what typically happens when Apple gaps down big on earnings, and a quick way to make a million.
Tech juggernaut Apple handily beat earnings and revenue expectations last quarter, with sales hitting an all-time high of $20 billion. However, the stock was down in after-hours trading, on worries over margins and constraints in the company's supply chain.
As usual, expectations are high, but Apple has a way of exceeding optimistic hopes, partially because it tends to low-ball financial expectations. The only possible hitch: Apple is having trouble making enough products to meet demand.
Third-quarter reports are due from tech, financial, airline and pharmaceutical companies, among others. Here's a day-by-day rundown of the coming earnings highlights, with a closer look at Harley-Davidson, Netflix and Southwest Airlines.
What factors can push Apple to keep improving its performance? And what could slow down the stock's relentless rise? Here are six things -- four positive, two negative -- that could help determine Apple's price in coming months.
Apple obliterated Wall Street expectations Tuesday, reporting record revenue and earnings on strong sales of its iPhone and iPad devices. It was the strongest quarter by revenue in the history of the 34-year-old company. Apple also offered a robust forecast.
"Antennagate" aside, Apple will report record earnings Tuesday, according to analysts. The company will benefit both from its habitual low-balling of expectations as well the introduction of two red-hot new products -- the iPad and iPhone 4.