Stocks Aim to Break Losing Streak (at TheStreet.com)

Premarket futures were hinting at a higher open for stocks on Wall Street Wednesday as reassuring earnings statements from the technology sector helped assuage fears that had left investors in a selling mood earlier this week. Futures for the S&P 500 were up 1.5 points at 1270 and were 3.5 points above fair value. Nasdaq futures were up 3 points at 1922 and were 10 ahead of fair value. Technology shares looked to be getting a boost from PC maker and Dow Jones Industrial Average component Hewlett-Packard HPQ, whose third-quarter earnings beat Wall Street's estimates for both the top and bottom line. Semiconductor maker Analog Devices ADI posted a profit that rose year over year and beat analyst expectations. Less fortunate among tech companies, Novatel Wireless NVTL reported earnings that lagged estimates. Meanwhile, big-box... [read full story]