NETFLIX

Microsoft is the latest technology giant to storm cable's barricades.

The United States Postal Service announced steps Monday to eliminate its next-day delivery of First Class mail in an effort to avoid bankruptcy in 2012.

The interface will be available on Tuesday.

Netflix, the online DVD rental firm, is in trouble as it is losing subscribers since it raised its prices in September, a move that will force it to spend more on marketing and report a loss in 2012, triggering investor concerns over its business model.

If this is the year of the e-reader, then you might be wondering what the difference is between these two devices beyond the $50 price tag. The big difference is in the hardware. You get a faster processor with more memory, a better battery and more on board storage on the Nook Tablet.

At mid-day Tuesday, the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 65.47 points to 11,588.48, up 0.57 percent from the previous session's close. The benchmark S&P 500 Index was at 1,198.66 points, up 6.11, or 0.51 percent. The NASDAQ index was down 0.28 percent, or 7.10 points, to 2,520.24.

The top pre-market NASDAQ Stock Market gainers are: Magal Security Systems, Seagate Technology, Central European Distribution, Onyx Pharmaceuticals, Randgold Resources, and Research In Motion. The top pre-market NASDAQ Stock Market losers are: Tellabs, ASML Holding, Netflix, and Microsoft.

S&P cut the credit rating of the Los Gatos, Calif.-based company to BB- from BB. Its outlook remains stable.

The top pre-market NASDAQ stock market gainers are: Melco Crown Entertainment, Amarin, DryShips, Micron Technology, Netflix, Dendreon, SodaStream International, and Green Mountain Coffee Roasters. The top pre-market NASDAQ stock market losers are: Randgold Resources, and Global Industries.

Amazon Inc. has announced that this Black Friday was the best ever for the Kindle family, as the Kindle Fire remained the bestselling product since its introduction 8 weeks ago.

Jefferies revised its estimates for Netflix Inc. (NASDAQ: NFLX) due to revised guidance and capital raise. The brokerage lowered its price target on shares of Netflix to $75 from $90, while maintaining its hold rating.

Stocks posted seven straight sessions of losses on Friday, ending the worst week in two months, as the lack of a credible solution to Europe's debt crisis kept investors away from risky assets.

From Alice in Wonderland to Cars, hundreds of Disney movies are now available for rent on YouTube, the Google-owned site announced on Wednesday.

A multi-million-dollar class action lawsuit against Netflix and Walmart that alleged the two companies had conspired to carve up the DVD rental and sales market between them has been dismissed.

The top pre-market NASDAQ Stock Market gainers are: Yahoo, ASML Holding, Brigham Exploration, and First Solar. The top pre-market NASDAQ Stock Market losers are: Diamond Foods, Rambus, Netflix, Groupon, Central European Distribution, and Micron Technology.

The collapse in Netflix's valuation is part of a wider wave of grievous losses being felt by shares of companies focused on virtual commerce. After riding a surge of investor enthusiasm to valuation peaks in mid-summer,companies like Netflix and Travelzoo had nowhere to go but down. Short-sellers, chomping at the bit to make bets against the stocks' heady fundamentals, are not exactly helping.

Wedbush Securities believes Netflix Inc.'s (NASDAQ: NFLX) $400-million concurrent common stock and convertible notes financing were motivated by the company's deteriorating business performance, which in turn triggered liquidity concerns.

The top pre-market NASDAQ Stock Market gainers are: Focus Media Holding, BSD Medical, Brocade Communications Systems, NVIDIA, and E*TRADE Financial. The top pre-market NASDAQ Stock Market losers are: Netflix, Randgold Resources, ASML Holding, Amazon.com, and Shire.

Stock index futures pointed to a mixed open on Wall Street on Tuesday following the previous session's sharp losses, with futures for the S&P 500 up 0.49 percent, Dow Jones futures up 0.21 percent and Nasdaq 100 futures down 0.17 percent at 0831 GMT.

Video rental company Netflix Inc said late on Monday that it raised $400 million in fresh capital by selling convertible debt to long-time backer Technology Crossover Ventures and stock to funds managed by T. Rowe Price.

Traditionally Black Friday deals were revealed through ads released in national and local newspapers on Thanksgiving day, but now with the Internets capacity to make ads go viral the deals are being released earlier and earlier. Here is a roundup of the ads released for Black Friday 2011 so far: