The earnings season kicked off last week with better-than-expected results from Alcoa (AA) and Yum! Brands (YUM), while Marriott (MAR) and Pepsico (PEP) met consensus EPS estimates. This week, bellwether companies Intel (INTC), General Electric (GE), Google (GOOG) and JPMorgan Chase (JPM) are scheduled to report their third-quarter results, and analysts polled by Thomson Reuters are looking for earnings growth from all of them.

Santa Clara, Calif.-based Intel announced the acquisition of McAfee and joint ventures with General Electric and Nokia (NOK) during its third quarter. Analysts forecast earnings for that period to come to 50 cents per share, which is up 34.0% from the same period of last year. The number one semiconductor maker's revenue for the three months ended in September is expected to total $11.0 billion, or 17.1% more than a year earlier. Looking ahead to the full year, the forecast thus far is for earnings of $1.94 per share (+44.8%) and $43.3 billion in revenue (+23.4%). The per-share earnings topped analysts' expectations in the past four quarters, by as much as a dime per share.

Shares of consulting giant Accenture (ACN) are trading sharply higher in after hours trading today following a strong fourth quarter earnings report.

As we noted in our earnings preview last night, analysts had been expecting to see Accenture post earnings of $0.63 per share, but actual earnings came in above expectations at $0.66.

Shares of athletic footwear and accessories giant Nike Inc. (NKE) are trading up nicely in after hours trading after the company posted better than expected results for its fiscal first quarter this afternoon following the market close.

Going into today's earnings report, analysts had been expecting to see the company post $1.01 per share, but Nike outpaced estimates with a reported $1.14 per share.

Shares of international shipping giant FedEx Corp. (FDX) are selling off in early morning trading after the company posted fiscal first quarter results that were a bit shy of analyst estimates.

As we noted in our FedEx earnings preview, analysts had been expecting to see the company report earnings of $1.21 for the quarter, but actual results came in a bit lower at $1.20.

Last week, the Fed's Beige Book report confirmed that the economy continues to grow, but at a slower pace than in previous periods. This week will bring plenty of economic data to either support or contrast with the Fed's findings.

• Monday: Federal government budget balance for August
• Tuesday: Business inventory numbers from July, TIPP Economic Optimism Index for September, retail sales data from August
• Wednesday: Industrial production in August, Empire State Manufacturing Survey for September, Import Price Index for August
• Thursday: Producer Price Index for August, Philly Fed Survey for September, the Current Account Balance in the second quarter, jobless claims for last week
• Friday: preliminary University of Michigan Consumer Sentiment Index, Consumer Price Index for August, real earnings data for August

Retailer Sears Holding (SHLD) announced this morning that its first-quarter profit dropped 38%. The company blamed the drop on increased discounts that it used to promote, appliances along with dropping demand for its tools and home electronics.

During the first quarter, Sears earned 14 cents per share, which is down from 21 cents per share last year. Adjusted earnings checked in at 16 cents per share, which topped the consensus estimate of 12 cents per share. Quarterly revenue fell to $10.05 billion, which is short of the consensus estimate of $10.22 billion.