AS YOU WERE: Stocks traded largely sideways. The Dow Jones industrial average edged higher and the Standard & Poor's 500 drifted lower. Investors are waiting for more earnings reports.

APPLE SLIDE: Apple continued its descent from its record close of $702.10 set in September. The stock took another knock Monday after a report said that the company had cut orders for components for its iPhone 5 due to weak demand.

PRIVATE DELL: Dell surged on reports that it was in talks with private equity firms about taking the company private. The stock has slumped in the last year on weakening PC sales.