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International Business Machines Corp. (NYSE: IBM), the No. 2 computer company, plans to acquire private Vivisimo, a data analytics specialist, to bolster its push into handling ?Big Data.?

There?s been a lot of buzz about next-generation gaming consoles, with Sony?s upcoming PlayStation 4 known internally as ?Orbis,? Microsoft?s Xbox 720 code named ?Durango? and Nintendo?s double-screen experienced Wii U. Despite the generated hype, market analysts say that this next breed of gaming devices will not reach the same audience its predecessors did.

Assuming the $77 billion initial public offering by Facebook is approved, investors will likely clamor for shares just as in earlier web frenzies for Netscape Communications, Yahoo (Nasdaq: YHOO) and Google (Nasdaq: GOOG).. But dangers loom.

International Business Machines Corp. (NYSE: IBM), the No. 2 computer company, announced a 13 percent boost in its dividend as well as a $7 billion share buyback.

AT&T Inc. (NYSE:T), the No. 1 telecommunications carrier, reported first-quarter earnings and revenue rose solidly, ahead of estimates, as smartphone customers spent more time on the network.

SmartGrid GB includes British Telecom, General Electric, IBM and Scottish Power, Siemens and Toshiba.

The new investor bywords are “big data.” Initial public offerings last week for both Splunk (Nasdaq: SPLK) and Proofpoint (Nasdaq: PFPT) were smash hits because of it. Big companies like IBM (NYSE: IBM) may be the biggest beneficiaries.

Shares of security software specialist Proofpoint (Nasdaq: PFPT) jumped as much as 31 percent in the first few minutes of trading after their initial public offering.

Splunk (Nasdaq: SPLK), which developed software to permit enterprise analysis of so-called “Big Data,” saw its shares skyrocket nearly 90 percent in its initial public offering.

Eurosclerosis may finally have hit the technology sector.

German bond yields hovered near record lows and the euro held steady on Thursday ahead of bond auctions by Spain and France that are key to investor confidence in Europe's ability to tackle growing economic and fiscal problems.

Asian shares moved in a narrow range Thursday after the previous day's rally as investors grew cautious ahead of a key Spanish bond sale that would test the market's risk appetite as concerns mounted over the euro zone's debt crisis.

U.S. stocks slipped on Wednesday, a day after Wall Street's best gains in a month, as uninspiring earnings from tech bellwethers IBM and Intel gave investors a reason to take profits.

Global markets saw a shallow but broad selloff Wednesday, as unsettling news from Spain combined with a histrionic report by the International Monetary Fund to give investors pause regarding the situation in Europe.

Stocks declined on Wednesday after uninspiring earnings from IBM and Intel, while Chesapeake Energy sank after a Reuters report highlighted that its CEO has taken out large and unusual personal loans.

Stocks were lower on Wednesday after uninspiring earnings from IBM and Intel, while Chesapeake Energy slumped after a Reuters report highlighted large and unusual personal loans taken by its chief executive.

Stocks were lower on Wednesday after the S&P 500 notched its biggest gain in a month, weighed down by IBM and Intel after their quarterly results.

Shares of Berkshire Hathaway (NYSE: BRK/A) shrugged off news that CEO Warren E. Buffett has prostate cancer and will require treatment soon.

Stocks were poised for a lower open on Wednesday after the S&P 500 notched its biggest gain in a month as investors digested another round of corporate earnings.

The companies whose shares are moving in pre-market trade Wednesday are: United Rentals, Csx Corp, Seagate Technology, Amarin Corp, Yahoo!, Halliburton, Cree, Intel Corp, Logitech International and International Business machines Corp.

International Business Machines Corp. (NYSE: IBM), the No. 2 computer maker, reported first-quarter earnings that beat analyst estimates although revenue came in slightly lower than expected.

Intel (Nasdaq: INTC), the No. 1 chipmaker, reported first-quarter earnings beat estimates as sales rose much more strongly than expected.

A unit of Toshiba Corp is in talks to buy IBM Corp's point-of-sale terminal business, which includes cash registers, a source familiar with the deal said on Tuesday.

IBM Corp reports earnings after the bell on Tuesday and investors are hoping strong software demand will make for a repeat of last year's first-quarter performance, when the company raised its full year forecast.

International Business Machines Corp. (NYSE: IBM), the No. 2 computer maker, has scheduled its first-quarter earnings announcement for after Tuesday’s market close.

Intel (Nasdaq: INTC), the No. 1 chipmaker, is scheduled to report first-quarter results after markets close Tuesday. As always, Intel’s report will be a bellwether for the semiconductor industry.

As U.S. taxpayers complete their income tax forms, few had as good a 2011 as new Apple CEO Tim Cook, whose compensation now is valued above $600 million.

Earnings season will kick into full gear next week with results due from major players. The stock market had an incredible first quarter with double-digit percentage gains, and the flood of company earnings reports will largely decide which way the market will be going from here.

Hewlett-Packard Co. (NYSE: HPQ), the No. 1 PC vendor, kept its crown in the first quarter and added share as worldwide PC shipments rose 1.9 percent, market researcher Gartner (NYSE: IT) said.