Apple Inc. (NASDAQ: AAPL) will be reporting its fourth quarter financial results after the close today. Apple is forecast to report earnings of 86 cents a share, according to analysts surveyed by Thomson Financial. Here is BloggingStocks' preview. The New York Times also discussed Apple's new Leopard OS system due out this Friday. Steve Jobs, Apple's CEO, talks of decades of updates.

Hasbro Inc. (NYSE: HAS) reported third-quarter profit this morning that climbed 62% on higher sales led by its Transformers and Marvel brands and a favorable tax adjustment. The company easily beat analysts' expectations of 71 cents per share for the quarter and reported earnings of $161.6 million or 95 cents per share. Excluding an adjustment, earnings were $132 million, or 78 cents per share. Quarterly revenue rose 17% to $1.22 billion, beating analysts' expectation of $1.14 billion according to Thomson.

Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE: MRK) shares are up 2.6% in premarket trading after the company reported a sharp rise in third-quarter profit this morning, raising its 2007 profit forecast in view of strong current trends. Sales of its vaccines and cholesterol drugs helped profits. The company earned $1.53 billion, or 70 cents per share, up from $941 million, or 43 cents per share, in the year-ago period. Excluding special items, Merck earned 75 cents per share, beating analysts estimates of 69 cents per share, according to Reuters Estimates.

Halliburton Co. (NYSE: HAL) reported third quarter results yesterday (Sunday). Earnings rose 19% in the third quarter, as the company continues to expand its business in the Eastern Hemisphere. Net income was $727 million, or 79 cents a share. Excluding an income tax gain, the company earned 64 cents per share, matching analysts' estimate. Third-quarter revenue rose 16% to $3.93 billion, beating estimates of $3.87 billion, according to Thomson Financial.

The head of the Federal Trade Commission has rejected requests to open a formal antitrust investigation of Intel (NASDAQ: INTC) for anticompetitive conduct, according to The New York Times.

The European Commission would take until Nov. 13 to examine Google Inc.'s (NASDAQ: GOOG) US$3.1 billion bid for DoubleClick to look at promises made by Google that aim to eliminate antitrust concerns.

After three years, Microsoft Corp (NASDAQ: MSFT) finally agreed to comply with a landmark 2004 antitrust decision by the European Commission. It would not appeal against a decisive European Union court ruling two months ago that backed the Commission.