tech sector

Apple is gearing up to report its quarterly results after the markets close Wednesday, and both investors and consumers are wondering if it'll take a hit from Japan's massive earthquake and tsunami, which have already rocked the earnings results of some other tech titans.

Much has been made recently of the huge valuations of Internet players like Facebook, Twitter and Zynga, but while Web 2.0 is doing well, the Silicon Valley region itself is not. A new report shows compensation and unemployment in the region haven't improved since the downturn.

Tech layoffs came to just under 47,000 last year, according to employment-services firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas. Better still, during the next 10 years, the sector is forecast to have one of the fastest paces of job creation of any industry.

Shares of software security companies are rising as investors hope to cash in on growing M&A activity. One the heel's of Hewlett-Packard's decision to acquire ArcSight, here are three other companies that could be future take-over candidates.

After a couple of fairly sleepy years, mergers and acquisition activity has bounced back dramatically, with potential long-term consequences for the stock market. It's a rare ray of hope at a time when other economic indicators are pointing straight toward the floor.

In this uncertain market, investors are shying away from the usually risky techs, but that has left several promising companies with low valuations. Here's a look at some of the top names in tech that could offer a rare opportunity.

U.S. stocks are poised for a lower start Thursday morning on economic concerns and the possibility that stocks may have run up too far, too fast ahead of the economy. The retail sector is in focus with several retailers reporting earnings. The tech sector may likely see continued pressure following...