The main source of pressure on stocks and other risky assets over the past two weeks has been the rise in the U.S. dollar. This has contributed to an unwinding of the dollar-drop driven risk rally that saw all types of assets -- including foreign stocks, gold, crude oil, and base metals -- climb higher in unison. But it hasn't been a smooth climb.

The iPhone’s long-standing partner AT&T reports strong third quarter earnings thanks to Apple's smartphone, but their press conference showed the company beginning to distance itself from the Cupertino, California-based Apple. A new Nielsen survey shows that while the iPad might be breaking sales records, iPad apps are not.

Here are the factors that led to the 1987 stock market crash, and why a crash in today's near-term is highly unlikely.

Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE: VZ) managed to hold onto its leading position in the wireless phone business, but the company's profits for the third quarter fell -25% compared with the same period a year ago. Revenues also fell 2.9% year-over-year.

Today, PM announced adjusted earnings of $1.00 per share, or +7%. The company also reported revenue of $6.61 billion. While PM did grow earnings, it did miss expectations slightly, as analysts forecasted EPS of $1.01 and revenue of $6.92 billion.

Xerox reported third-quarter earnings of 22 cents a share, excluding items, on revenue of $5.43 billion.

For the quarter ended September 30, 2010, AT&T’s consolidated revenues totaled $31.6 billion, up $847 million, or +2.8%, versus the year-earlier quarter. Operating income was $5.5 billion, up from $5.4 billion; and AT&T’s operating income margin was stable at 17.3%, compared to 17.5%.

It’s a good time to own Caterpillar Inc. (NYSE: CAT) stock, as the equipment manufacturer posted earnings growth of +96% and revenue growth of +53% yesterday. Earnings came in at $1.22 a share with revenue of $11.1 billion.

Goldman Sachs may repay Warren Buffett's $5 billion loan early.

McDonald’s (NYSE: MCD) stock is set to soar again. The fast food chain announced that it will be raising its dividend again, after another quarter of increased earnings.

For a technology sector that is arguably only six months old, tablet PCs are quickly overtaking other consumer electronics in people's lives.

Earlier this year, Verizon Wireless (NYSE: VZ) was thought to be preparing their own tablet with help from Motorola (NYSE: MOT) and Google (NASDAQ: GOOG).

After Google said it would cancel contracts with seven advertising resellers in China, the Chinese partners threatened legal action.

Six months after Hewlett-Packard (NYSE: HPQ) announced it would purchase Palm Inc. for $1.2 billion, HP has announced Palm's very first product as a subsidiary.

ETFs are shaking up the mutual fund industry and 401(k) market, because they offer advantages as lower costs and wider choices for retirement plans.

The big Apple news of the day will come later this afternoon at the Back to the Mac event, but some of those announcements have leaked early. Apple's tablet is making its own news today, as research group iSuppli greatly increases its expectations for total iPad sales over the next two years.