Stocks Try to End Skid; Alcoa on Tap Tonight

Stocks fall for a third day Monday, with the Dow shedding another 1% and the Nasdaq Composite and S&P 500 giving up about the same.  Banks and consumer stocks led the declines.

Stocks are bouncing modestly in early trade Tuesday as investors await Alcoa's (NYSE:AA) first-quarter earnings after the bell.

Also Tuesday, Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT) is ending support of its Windows XP operating system.

About 30% of computers and 95% of ATM machines still use the 13-year-old system, but Microsoft will no longer issue security updates. New apps and devices such as printers may also not be compatible.

Taco Bell has put out another ad attacking its bigger rival McDonald's (NYSE:MCD) and its breakfast menu. The new ad uses the song ‘Old MacDonald Had a Farm’ and shows an outdated character trashing an egg McMuffin for a new Taco Ball waffle taco. Taco Bell says this won't be the end of its ads targeting the competition.

And, as lime prices soar to three-year highs you'll find them disappearing from many familiar places – including airline beverage carts (Alaska Airlines already making the move).