wall street

Analysts on Apple's executive shake-up: Change is good

Trading on Wall Street is closed until tomorrow in light of Hurricane Sandy, though a slew of new analyst notes offer a peek at how investors should view recently announced changes near the top of Apple's management.

The consensus: it's surprising that Apple's iOS chief Scott Forstall and retail chief John Browett are leaving the company, but a very good thing some of the key executives are still there.

CNET has collected some of the highlights from this morning's flurry of notes below.

Gene Munster of Piper Jaffray says the big takeaway is that design chief … Read more

Netflix stock rises on Microsoft acquisition rumor

Netflix shares closed trading today up 13 percent, less than a week after the company disappointed Wall Street with a lackluster third-quarter performance.

Anyone looking earlier for news to explain what might be driving the spike would have been disappointed. But Forbes is now reporting that an unconfirmed rumor was behind the run. According to the magazine, word spread on Wall Street that Microsoft was trying to acquire Netflix. CNET also heard these rumors and saw an e-mail from a Wall Street banking firm that showed one rumor circulating indicated Microsoft was offering $90 per share for Netflix.

A Microsoft … Read more

'Occupy' activists use iPhone line as podium for protest

NEW YORK -- A group of about 12 people who say they're part of the Occupy Wall Street movement joined the iPhone 5 line in front of Apple's flagship Manhattan store on 5th Avenue, members of the group told CNET.

Shiloh Coral, 22, and Thomas Volanos, 21, said they joined the ranks of Apple fans this evening to protest the company's labor practices in China, as well as what they see as the commercialization and waste that the company and its gadgets represent.

An Apple spokesman was not immediately available for comment. We will update as soon … Read more

Twitter hands over Occupy protester's tweets

Twitter caved to a court order and handed over the tweets of an Occupy Wall Street protester rather than face a stiff fine.

Twitter reportedly surrendered to Manhattan Criminal Court Judge Matthew Sciarrino tweets sent out last year by protester Malcolm Harris. Twitter had long resisted a prosecution subpoena demanding the data.

Reuters was first to report on the news.

Harris was arrested during an October Occupy Wall Street protest on the Brooklyn Bridge. He argues that the protesters were led to the bridge by police, so they could be arrested on charges of obstructing traffic. Prosecutors want to use … Read more

Twitter ordered to turn over user data or face fine

Twitter has three days to turn over information about an Occupy Wall Street protester's tweets or face a fine.

The microblogging site has until Friday to produce either the data or its earnings statements for the past two quarters so that New York State Supreme Court Judge Matthew A. Sciarrino Jr. can determine an amount to fine the company, Bloomberg reported. Prosecutors have subpoenaed Twitter to turn over "any and all user information, including e-mail address, as well as any and all tweets" posted by Malcolm Harris, an activist accused of disorderly conduct during an Occupy Wall … Read more

Apple, Amazon, Google riding high on Wall Street

Apple, Amazon and Google have had a good day so far, with their stocks rising to new highs. Apple cracked $680 for the first time on its way to who knows how high in anticipation of the Sept. 12 iPhone 5 launch and a possible iPad mini introduction later this month. The company's market cap rose above $635 billion.

Amazon hit another all-time high following the introduction of its new Kindles, which are much more competitive with the iPad and other tablets than expected. The stock zoomed above $258 in this morning's trading.

Google also hit its highest … Read more

Humbug, Wall Street: Marissa Mayer is making the right moves

Wall Street does not like Yahoo CEO Marissa Mayer at the moment. But I'd bet on Mayer over Wall Street any day of the week.

Yahoo's stock has dropped 9 percent over the past week. The reason: the tech giant recently announced that it might not return to shareholders the billions it stands to earn from selling its stake in Alibaba. As a result, short-term investors started dropping Yahoo shares almost immediately.

I feel for Yahoo shareholders, especially the long-term ones. You've gone through one mediocre CEO who couldn't move the needle (Carol Bartz) and one … Read more

The 404 1,105: Where we light the future (podcast)

As an expert on the subject of LED lighting, Sal Cangeloso of Geek.com helps us understand the challenges facing early adopters of the technology, the cost and performance advantages of LED bulbs, and the creative ways that people are using them, from the Occupy movement to the opening ceremony at the London Olympics.

Leaked from today's 404 episode:

- Check out Sal's book, "LED Lighting: A Primer to Lighting the Future."

- Follow Sal on Twitter.

- How to make your own LED throwies.

- LED lights shine at the London Olympic opening ceremonies.

- LED wallpaper is the nerd's ultimate nightlight.… Read more

Why Facebook's CEO ought to tell Wall Street to Zuck off

I'm sure Mark Zuckerberg won't lose any sleep about Wall Street's ongoing hissy fit about Facebook -- nor should he. More about that in a moment.

Following the disappointment over the company's second-quarter earnings, Facebook shares fell another 11.7 percent Friday, despite the market-lifting euphoria over the European Central Bank chief's plans to bolster the Euro.

An extreme sell-off, for sure, but not surprising for a stock that's tumbled almost 38 percent since its star-crossed debut on the NASDAQ in May.

Given how this outsize company has infiltrated popular culture, Facebook's fall … Read more