etrade financial

The purchase of investment blog Abnormal Returns by Twitter-like Stocktwits may signal a new trend in online finance: It's called the real-time Web. Investors can get an instant snapshot of the sentiment of other investing pros by joining an immediate and constant online conversion.

Its signature talking baby has literally outgrown his position and will be replaced by a new tot in ads that debut this weekend.

Charles Schwab will likely come in below analysts' estimates when it releases fourth quarter earnings on Thursday. Among its problems: a slowdown in trading volumes and an acceleration of money market fund fee waivers.