Third-quarter earnings reports start this week and it’s hard to be optimistic in this era of market fluctuation and meltdown.
It’s being bandied about the Web, but it’s true: AT&T Inc.’s (T) and Verizon Communications Inc.’s (VZ) numbers will serve as a bellwether for the fourth quarter. If their earnings and balance sheets take a hit, so will the rest of the telecom/tech sector.
