World Week Ahead: Earnings optimism increases

World Week Ahead: Earnings optimism increases
Jonathan Underhill
By Margreet Dietz Oct. 24 (BusinessDesk) - As the latest corporate earnings season gathers steam, with Apple and Alphabet among the US companies reporting this week, so is optimism about the outlook.  On Friday shares of Microsoft rallied 4.2 percent to close at a record high after it posted better-than-expected earnings, while shares of McDonald's rose 3 percent after its results also exceeded estimates.  "Earnings, frankly have started out little better than I thought they would, and a little better than the consensus thought they wo...