By MarketWatch MARKETWATCH FRONT PAGE As more high-profile companies slash their earnings and sales outlooks for the fourth quarter, analysts have been slow to follow suit as the operating earnings forecast for the S&P 500 remains at an all-time high. See full story. Big earnings to watch Thursday: P&G, Aetna, Apple First up in another busy day for earnings will be Procter & Gamble, but investors’ attention will hardly flag once the regular session ends in New York: Apple and Amazon are slated to report results after the close. See full story. U.S. stocks rise with data global economy U.S. stocks gain as data put the global economy in a more optimistic light, with Procter & Gamble among those beating earnings expectations Thursday. See full story. IPhone the big wild card in Apple’s results The late launch of the iPhone 5 and speculation surrounding the iPad mini likely crimped Apple’s sales in the September quarter. A strong rebound is expected in the December period, though some questions remain about tight supply. See full story. With iPad, Apple upends the upgrade calendar Obsolescence used to be planned — now it’s just unpredictable, say retail analysts. Do consumers lose? See full story. MARKETWATCH COMMENTARY The Republican candidate wants to talk tough but comes across as sounding reckless, writes media columnist Jon Friedman See full story. MARKETWATCH PERSONAL FINANCE Forgetting your coupons at home isn’t quite the inconvenience it once was — provided you have your phone with you.

Source