Avago Technologies (NASDAQ: AVGO) reported a 16% rise in net revenue for the 2015 Q4 while net income rose 217.8% YoY driven by a 20.7% revenue growth in the Enterprise Storage segment. EPS rose to $1.49 this quarter from $0.50 same quarter last year. Avago paid a cash dividend of $0.42 per ordinary share.

Medtronic (NYSE: MDT) saw its revenue grow 6% but net income declined 37% in Q2 of 2016. The diluted EPS were $0.36 compared to $0.83 the same quarter last year driven down by a larger tax burden, higher interest expenses and integration of Covidien.

Barnes & Noble (NYSE: BKS) reported a revenue decrease of 1.5% while net losses increased by 22.6%. Diluted losses per share were $0.68 compared to losses of $0.56 same quarter last year. Sales were down in the retail and Nook segments while the College segment saw an increase.

American Eagle Outfitters (NYSE: AEO) recorded a 7.6% increase in revenue and while diluted earnings per share rose 59% to $0.35 from $0.22 same quarter last year. Comparable sales, for the specialty retailer, rose 9% for 2015 Q3 year over year.

Crude oil dropped 7% this week to close at $40.01 per barrel as US inventories (excluding SPR) went up 0.25% to 489.4 from 488.2 million barrels last week. Total commercial inventories also went up by 1.8 million barrels. Consequently, the national average retail regular gasoline price fell 1.7% to $2.059. World inventories should continue to rise as OPEC decided not to curb current production and as Iran enters the market.

US Real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) grew 2.1% in Q3 2015 driven by increased personal consumption expenditures (PCE), nonresidential fixed investment, state and local government spending, and residential fixed investment. Exports also grew but were partly offset by rising imports. Such solid GDP growth boards well for interest-rates-liftoff which the FOMC will consider when it meets on December 16, 2015.

The European Central Bank (ECB) maintained its monthly Asset Purchase Program (APP) at €60 billion but extended it until the end of March 2017, and beyond if necessary, to achieve a 2% inflation target (Actual is at 0.1%). Additionally, the ECB kept its main refinancing rate at 0.05% and its marginal lending facility at 0.3% but lowered its deposit rate to -0.3%.