SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Hewlett-Packard Co (HPQ.N), the world's largest personal computer maker, on Monday reported a higher quarterly profit as notebook PC sales increased.

  

  

  TheStreet.com's Jim Cramer is very worried about the housing index and the county's major building companies, and he wonders why the Fed doesn't seem to be. The trouble in the housing market is just one more reason he has for why Bernanke and crew should cut interest rates again.

  TK

  NEW YORK (AP) - Analysts said Wednesday McDonald's Corp., theworld's No. 1 burger chain, appears headed for more growth after ayear in which results consistently beat Wall Street's expectations.

  

  CAMARILLO, Calif. (AP) - The national average price for gasolinerose about 13 cents over the last two weeks, according to a surveyreleased Sunday.

  CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) - Lowe's Cos., the No. 2 U.S. homeimprovement chain, said Monday that its third-quarter profit fell10.2 percent, citing a weak sales environment amid a continuingslump in the housing sector.

  There's a lot to be wary of in today's turbulent market, but BloggingStocks'own George Yared is still an unrepentant bull. What's on his buy list? You might be surprised by some of his picks and pans. Tune in to this latest edition of StockWatch and find out why he thinks Crocs and Bank of America have gotten an unfair rap.