Monday
The new trading week kicks off with a little Chinese gaming action, but I'm not talking about a casino going up in Macau. Shanda Interactive (NASDAQ:SNDA) reports its second-quarter results on Monday. The pioneer of multiplayer online fantasy role-playing games in China is bumping up against tough competition these days, but the shares have been bouncing back nicely in recent months. Expectations are high, with analysts expecting earnings to soar 57% higher to $0.36 per share. Rival The9 (NASDAQ:NCTY) reports two days later.

Tuesday
We've had a flurry of booksellers reporting earnings lately. Tuesday, the spotlight shines on Borders (NYSE:BGP). Sure, the chain is going to thank Harry Potter for a huge quarter. Borders announced that it had moved 1.2 million copies of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows in a single day. However, what will the chain do for an encore? How goes the Borders.com makeover? So many questions. Let's see whether Tuesday offers the answers.

Wednesday
You've probably seen the "my TiVo gets me" ads. Now it's time to learn whether Wall Street gets TiVo (NASDAQ:TIVO). The digital video recording giant posts its fiscal second-quarter report on Wednesday. It is unlikely to be the kind of welcome surprise that investors got last month -- when TiVo treated shareholders to an actual profit -- as the company commits to marketing its new high-def players. Still, we'll leave it to Mr. Market to hit the green "thumbs-up" button or the red "thumbs-down" button.

Thursday
Remember when investors were loving H&R Block (NYSE:HRB) because of its mortgage origination business? It helped offset the seasonal fluctuations of its tax-prep work. However, in these nervous subprime days, every company that lends out money is being watched carefully. H&R Block reports its quarterly financials on Thursday, and you can bet that lots of questions during the conference call will be loan quality-related.

Friday
It's quiet on the earnings front, though Friday always brings a new slate of theatrical releases to a multiplex near you. Friday's star may be Halloween, though odds are that you probably tired of the slasher franchise several installments ago. Why is it coming out on Aug. 31 -- instead of Oct. 31? Well, you want scary movies to hit the big screen in the weeks leading up to Halloween itself. No one wants to get spooked come November, though I have seen some pretty intimidating stuffed turkeys and pumpkin pies. 

Until next week, I remain,

Rick Munarriz

Borders is a pick in the Inside Value newsletter. Shanda? It's a recommendation in the growth-stock-hungry Rule Breakers service. If you want to be prepared for the future, dig into the past picks of either newsletter with a free 30-day trial subscription offer. You'll also see the freshest recommendations.

Longtime Fool contributor Rick Munarriz recommends windshield wiper fluid when trying to look forward. He is also part of the Rule Breakers newsletter research team, seeking out tomorrow's ultimate growth stocks a day early. He does own not own shares in any of the companies in this story, save for TiVo. The Fool has a disclosure policy.