Apple soars on Wall Street as iBook is a hit on main street

Two years after Steve Jobs took back control of the company he founded, Apple Computer shares rose to a record $97 as analysts predicted strong fourth quarter sales will further boost those shares which could reach $140 in the next 12 months before settling down.

According to financial market reports, Apple is shipping more iBook portable PCs than expected this quarter. In all some 210,000 iBooks are expected to be shipped this quarter, compared with his previous forecast of 170,000. In October, Apple said the company had received orders for more than 300,000 iBooks.

Demand for the iMac continues strong as well with more than 700,000 iMacs shipments expected this quarter. Jobs said Apple received orders for more than 250,000 of its newest iMac models in the week after their introduction in October.