Investors lift Amazon shares higher

Amazon shares rose 11 percent during Tuesday's after-hours session after the Internet shopping-site operator reported a narrower-than-expected quarterly loss. In other after-the-bell news, Hewlett-Packard agreed to buy Bluestone Software, and Nortel Networks, Siebel Systems, Compaq and Fairchild Semiconductor announced quarterly financial results. Amazon AMZN shares rose $3.25 to $32.81 on Island ECN after closing down 44 cents to $29.56 in Tuesday trading on the Nasdaq. Amazon reported a third-quarter pro forma net loss of $68 million, or 25 cents per share, compared with $79 million, or 26 cents a share, during the same quarter last year. Analysts surveyed by First Call expected a loss of 33 cents a share, on average. Revenue was $638 million, compared with $356 million during the same quarter last year. Amazon's international sales increased 121 percent to $88 million from $40 million during the same quarter last year.