Companies will be reporting final 2010 earnings in the ongoing week, but the profits should reach the highest point in this quarter then level off because high unemployment and new headwinds check any further business profit gains.

The Petersburg based aluminium producer Alcoa projected its 2010 aluminium consumption demand on Monday and posted significantly higher second-quarter sales and profit, which is a good sign for the growth of the economy. Alcoa will be foraying into the markets of China and Australia.

It has been reported that the average of the Dow Jones Industrial crossed the 11000 mark for a brief period of time and then ducked back right at the close to just a little under that level and it seems that the average was actually lifted due to a wonderful forecast of earnings from Chevron.

Giant aluminum company, Alcoa Inc. posted its fourth quarter earnings report on Monday, and despite the fact that the firm had managed to trim down its losses during the period and sales went up, the end earnings were well below the estimates pegged by analysts.

The nation's largest aluminum producer was immensely helped by the painful cost-cutting and rising sales to automakers to resume to profitability for the first time in nine months.

The aluminum giant, Alcoa Inc., posted less-than-expected loss worth $454 million in its recent quarter, signifying stabilization of the market in future.

When contacted, Alcoa Inc's chief executive, Klaus Kleinfeld, said that aluminum prices started rising as markets like the automotive sector, started showing some signs of recovery.