Before the bell: Futures indicate a down day ahead After deciding last week to end its deal with Apple Inc. (NASDAQ: AAPL) iTunes store, where NBC Universal shows had accounted for 30% of the videos sold there, the General Electric Co. (NYSE: GE) unit yesterday announced Amazon.com Inc.'s (NASDAQ: AMZN) digital download service Amazon Unbox will now carry its shows.
Following Merrill Lynch's improved outlook on long-term metal prices, several companies' rating was also changed. BHP Billiton (NYSE: BHP) and Rio Tinto (NYSE: RTP) earnings are expected to improve and Alcoa Inc. (NYSE: AA) was upgraded to Buy. AA shares are up 1.5% in premarket trading.
Canadian Pacific Railway (NYSE: CP) announced it has agreed to buy Dakota, Minnesota & Eastern Railroad Corporation for at least $1.5 billion in cash.
Guess Inc. (NYSE: GES) shares declined over 7% in after-hours trading yesterday after the clothing retailer reported financial results, posting an 81.5% jump in quarterly profit. While the company raised its 2008 outlook, it wasn't as much as investors had wanted and they punished the stock.
Palm Inc. (NASDAQ: PALM) announced in its official blog it has decided to pull the Foleo mobile companion product. "This decision will require us to take a limited charge of less than $10 million dollars to our earnings."
Yahoo! Inc. (NASDAQ: YHOO) has struck a deal to buy BlueLithium, the fifth-largest U.S. online ad network, for $300 million in cash.
Retailers can't wait for Black Friday, open Thursday
Tiffany's serves up solid quarterly earnings
Cramer on BloggingStocks: This bullish retail story looks like a good fit 
