A home is seen for sale in the Washington suburb of Takoma Park, Maryland, October 27, 2009. The Standard & Poor's Case/Shiller report on United States house prices released October 27 showed a fourth month of gains in August.

A home with a sign indicating that it is under contract to be sold is seen in a neighborhood of downtown Washington, October 27, 2009. U.S. home prices rose for the fourth straight month in August, providing evidence the hard-hit U.S. housing market is stabilizing.

A high priced home sits for sale near St. Charles, Illinois in this September 24, 2009 file photo. U.S. home prices rose for the fourth straight month in August and shoppers bought more last week, providing evidence the hard-hit housing market and consumers were stabilizing.

A "for sale" sign sits outside a house in Miami Beach, Florida, in this October 22, 2009 file photo. U.S. home prices rose for the fourth straight month in August and shoppers bought more last week, providing evidence the hard-hit housing market and consumers were stabilizing.

AP Photo 5 months ago

In this June 24, 2009 photo, a house for sale is shown in San Francisco. The Standard & Poor's/Case-Shiller index released Tuesday, June 24, 2009, showed home prices in 20 major cities tumbled by 18.1 percent from April 2008. The 10-city index fell 18 percent from the year before.

AP Photo 5 months ago

In this June 23, 2009 photo, an "in escrow" sign is seen on a home for sale in Los Angeles. The Standard & Poor's/Case-Shiller index released Tuesday, June 30, showed home prices in 20 major cities tumbled by 18.1 percent from April 2008.

Getty Images 7 months ago

Street signs are seen in this February 10, 2009 file photo outside the New York Stock Exchange. Wall Street stocks opened higher May 18, 2009 as a investors moved back into a buying mode after last week's pullback.

AP Photo 7 months ago

A pair of traders get together on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange Monday, May 4, 2009. Another big rally on Wall Street has given the Standard & Poor's 500 index a modest gain for the year.

AP Photo 7 months ago

The 10 highest-paid CEOs for 2008 at Standard & Poor's 500 companies based on calculations by The Associated Press are shown in this photo combo. From top left: Chesapeake Energy CEO Aubrey McClendon, Motorola Inc. CEO Sanjay Jha, Walt Disney Co.

AP Photo 7 months ago

The 10 highest-paid CEOs for 2008 at Standard & Poor's 500 companies based on calculations by The Associated Press are shown in this photo combo. From top left: Chesapeake Energy CEO Aubrey McClendon, Motorola Inc. CEO Sanjay Jha, Walt Disney Co.

Getty Images 7 months ago

Steve Jobs, chief executive officer of Apple Inc. , addresses the World Wide Developers Conference in San Francisco, Caifornia June 9, 2008.

Getty Images 8 months ago

CHICAGO - APRIL 13: Traders signal offers in the Standard & Poor's 500 stock index futures pit at the CME Group April 13, 2009 in Chicago, Illinois. The index saw an afternoon rally to finish flat following a heavy drop during morning trade.

Getty Images 8 months ago

CHICAGO - APRIL 13: Traders signal offers in the Standard & Poor's 500 stock index futures pit at the CME Group April 13, 2009 in Chicago, Illinois. The index saw an afternoon rally to finish flat following a heavy drop during morning trade.

Getty Images 8 months ago

CHICAGO - APRIL 13: A trader signals an offer in the Standard & Poor's 500 stock index futures pit at the CME Group April 13, 2009 in Chicago, Illinois. The index saw an afternoon rally to finish flat following a heavy drop during morning trade.

Getty Images 8 months ago

CHICAGO - APRIL 13: Traders signal offers in the Standard & Poor's 500 stock index futures pit at the CME Group April 13, 2009 in Chicago, Illinois. The index saw an afternoon rally to finish flat following a heavy drop during morning trade.

Getty Images 8 months ago

CHICAGO - APRIL 13: A trader signals an offer in the Standard & Poor's 500 stock index futures pit at the CME Group April 13, 2009 in Chicago, Illinois. The index saw an afternoon rally to finish flat following a heavy drop during morning trade.

Getty Images 8 months ago

CHICAGO - APRIL 13: Traders signal offers in the Standard & Poor's 500 stock index futures pit at the CME Group April 13, 2009 in Chicago, Illinois. The index saw an afternoon rally to finish flat following a heavy drop during morning trade.

AP Photo 8 months ago

Connecticut state Attorney General Richard Blumenthal speaks at a news conference in his office in Hartford, Conn. , Monday, April 6, 2009.

AP Photo 8 months ago

Connecticut state Attorney General Richard Blumenthal speaks at a news conference in his office in Hartford, Conn. , Monday, April 6, 2009.

AP Photo 9 months ago

Rodney Clark, managing director, Insurance Ratings, Standard & Poor's, testifies on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, March 18, 2009, before the House Capital Markets, Insurance and Government Sponsored Enterprises subcommittee hearing on AIG bonuses.

AP Photo 9 months ago

In this April 23, 2008 file photo,General Electric Co. CEO Jeff Immelt waits for the start of the company's annual shareholders meeting in Erie, Pa.

Getty Images 9 months ago

CHICAGO - MARCH 02: A trader monitors offers in the Standard & Poor's 500 stock index options pit at the Chicago Board of Options Exchange March 2, 2009 in Chicago, Illinois.

Getty Images 9 months ago

CHICAGO - MARCH 02: A trader takes orders in the Standard & Poor's 500 stock index options pit at the Chicago Board of Options Exchange March 2, 2009 in Chicago, Illinois.

Getty Images 9 months ago

CHICAGO - MARCH 02: Traders monitor trades in the Standard & Poor's 500 stock index options pit at the Chicago Board of Options Exchange March 2, 2009 in Chicago, Illinois.

Getty Images 9 months ago

LAS VEGAS - FEBRUARY 24: Hotel-casinos on the Las Vegas Strip are seen behind homes February 24, 2009 in Las Vegas, Nevada.