Dell (DELL) will release its results on Thursday, after the close, as second-quarter earnings season nears an end. The technology company is projected to have earned 23 cents per share.

Joining Dell will be fellow S&P 500 members Big Lots (BIG), Medtronic (MDT), Novell (NOVL), Staples (SPLS) and Tiffany & Co. (TIF). A total of 76 companies are confirmed to release results.

Given the surprisingly strong July existing home sales report, all eyes will be on Wednesday's new home sales report. Specifically, economists will want to see that new home sales also rose for a fourth consecutive month.

Tuesday: August Conference Board consumer confidence, June S&P/Case-Shiller Home Price Index Wednesday: July durable goods orders, July new home sales, weekly crude inventories Thursday: Preliminary second-quarter GDP, weekly initial jobless claims Friday: July personal income and spending, revised August University of Michigan consumer confidence

Atlanta Federal Reserve Bank President

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Here are the stocks added to the Zacks #5 Rank ("strong sell") List today:

1-800-FLOWERS.COM Inc (FLWS) 3D Systems Corp (TDSC) ACI Worldwide Inc (ACIW) Advanta Corp (ADVNB) Alon USA Energy Inc (ALJ) Alphatec Holdings Inc (ATEC) American Water Works Co Inc (AWK) AMETEK Inc (AME) Anaren Inc (ANEN) Animal Health International Inc (AHII) Apogee Enterprises Inc (APOG) Bankrate Inc (RATE) Banner Corp (BANR) Bel Fuse Inc (BELFB) Belden Inc (BDC) Bio-Rad Laboratories Inc (BIO) Blockbuster Inc (BBI) ...

Here are the stocks added to the Zacks #5 Rank ("strong sell") List today:

Animal Health International Inc (AHII) Benihana Inc (BNHNA) BT Group Plc (BT) Carnival Plc (CUK) Cummins Inc (CMI) Delta Natural Gas Company Inc (DGAS) Dover Motorsports Inc (DVD) Eagle Materials Inc (EXP) Entertainment Properties Trust (EPR) Esterline Technologies Corp (ESL) First Advantage Corp (FADV) First State Bancorp NM (FSNM) FirstEnergy Corp (FE) FirstService Corp (FSRV) Gerber Scientific Inc (GRB) GlobalOptions Group Inc (GLOI) HEICO Corp (HEI) ING Groep NV (ING) Limco-Piedmont Inc (LIMC) Lodgian Inc (LGN) Mack-Cali Realty Corp (CLI) Nalco Holding Co (NLC) National Retail Properties Inc (NNN) Pitney Bowes Inc (PBI) Prospect Capital Corp (PSEC) Pulte Homes Inc (PHM) RBC Bearings Inc (ROLL) Republic Airways Holdings ...

Dell (

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The final week of August will feature earnings reports from S&P 500 members Big Lots (BIG), Dell (DELL), Novell (NOVL), Sears Holding (SHLD) and Tiffany (TIF). Overall, it will be a quiet week for earnings with 77 companies confirmed to report.

The economic schedule is pretty full, led by the minutes from the August Fed meeting. I don't anticipate any surprises from the notes. Other key data will include: Monday: July existing home sales Tuesday: July new home sales, August Conference Board consumer confidence index, August Fed minutes Wednesday: July durable goods orders, weekly crude inventories Thursday: Preliminary second-quarter GDP, weekly initial jobless claims Thursday: July personal income and spending, August Chicago PMI, revised August University of Michigan consumer confidence

The Federal Reserve's web site does not list any upcoming speeches.

The U.S. financial markets will be closed on Monday, Sep 1, in observance of Labor Day. Ahead of

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