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Stocks closed sharply higher Monday with the Dow Jones posting a triple-digit gain as technology stocks rallied after Intel raised its dividend and expanded its share buybacks by $10 billion. The index last saw 12,000 in June 2008 -- on the way down.

With corporate earnings season in full swing -- watch for McDonalds, along with Catepillar, Amazon and other -- and with the Fed meeting on interest rates, the GDP estimate and housing numbers coming out -- the week ahead is expected to be quite busy.

They may not make headlines, but the folks on this list of key corporate execs will likely have an outsize impact across all sectors of American business in 2011 -- from TV and household products to fast food and social networking.

Companies facing soaring commodity prices must decide whether to pass these increases on to their consumers.

It's great fun to see big-shot CEOs get out of their corner offices on the TV hit Undercover Boss. But it would be even more fun to watch America's true corporate titans do it. We imagine undercover assignments for Steve Jobs, Warren Buffett, BP's Bob Dudley and others.

A new television advertisement is suggesting that McDonald's food is so bad for people's health that it can lead to premature death. The ad, paid for by the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, will begin to air in the Washington, D.C., area this week.

Burger King (BKC), the nation's No. 2 burger chain, is reportedly in talks with private equity firms over a possible sale. Earlier today, The Wall Street Journal reported that one likely buyer is 3i Group, a U.K.-based buyout firm. But a recent report from New York Times says 3i is not courting...

The recall of half a billion eggs potentially tainted by salmonella has scared shoppers, who are increasingly willing to pay higher prices for safer eggs. Organic and premium egg producers are now struggling to keep up with demand.

The weakening stock market has investors fleeing for safe havens, like bonds. But some companies have a lot of cash, high operating margins and stocks with high yields -- far better ones than most bonds currently.