Global technology company Hewlett-Packard announces fourth-quarter results on Monday to start a very quiet week for earnings in the markets. The results are the first for new chief executive Leo Apotheker after Mark Hurd was forced to resign in August after being accused of on-the-job sexual harassment.

Analysts in the US see upside to the stock, as HP has expanded its hardware and services capabilities through a series of acquisitions and is now preparing to build out its software offerings. The company is also expecting to benefit from Christmas PC sales.

However, some questions remain over HP's long-term performance without the hard-charging Hurd at the helm. The stock has regained its equilibrium since shedding 18% of its value in August, but Apotheker has a lot to prove.

While the tech sector has weathered the recession well, storm clouds are looming. Earlier this month, tech bellwether Cisco cut its sales forecast for the second quarter in a row. A Cisco profit warning in 2001 signalled the end of the dotcom boom.