US close: Stocks end higher as traders await Apple numbers

US stocks finished in the green on Tuesday, ahead of an eagerly awaited update from tech giant Apple after the close, despite a slightly mixed news flow on the corporate front.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average finished up 0.33% at 21,963.92, while the S&P 500 was ahead 0.24% at 2,476.35 and the Nasdaq 100 closed 0.25% firmer at 5,895.17.

Apple reported just after the closing bell, beating on every major top-line metric as it forecast total revenue of between $49bn and $52bn for the current, fourth quarter - above analyst expectations for $49.21bn as polled by Reuters.

That helped to allay fears that its next iPhone could be delayed, as the firm traditionally sees the first weekend of new iPhone sales just make it into its fourth quarter.

Sales of its flagship iPhone product were ahead 1.6% to 41.03 million handsets in the third quarter to 1 July, above market forecasts for 40.7 million units, although the average selling price of an iPhone dropped to $606 - far lower than Wall Street expectations for $621 per device.

Shares in Apple finished the New York session up 0.89%, and were last ahead 6.46% in after-hours trading.

Earlier in the session, the Dow Jones Industrials hit a fresh record high of 21,988.34 just after the opening bell.

Strategists at Bank of America-Merrill Lynch said that in July their 'sell-side' sentiment indicator remained in 'neutral' territory for an eighth consecutive month.

"When our indicator has been this low or lower, returns over the next 12 months have been positive 94% of the time," they said.

In corporate news, drug giant Pfizer was 0.24% lower after posting weaker-than-expected sales of $12.90bn for the three months to June, against a consensus for $13.07bn/

However, the company did beat on the bottom-line.

Ford and GM were acting as a further drag after reporting sales drops last month of 7.4% and 15.4%, respectively, with their shares closing down 2.41% and 3.31%.

Investors cheered results from agricultural commodity processor Archer Daniels Midland, whose share price rose 2.66% despite the company having missed analysts' forecasts.

Shares in telecoms giant Sprint and Royal Caribbean Cruises were also boosted by their latest quarterly updates, finished 11.15% and 3.36% respectively.

Economic data was more supportive, with the ISM's factory sector purchasing managers' index for July printing at 56.3 for July, which was down from a reading of 57.8 for June but higher than a consensus forecast for 56.2.

On the other hand, personal US incomes were flat on the month in June according to the Department of Commerce, missing forecasts for growth of 0.4%.

Analyst Blerina Uruci at Barclays put that weakness down to the more volatile income components - such as interest and dividend income - which had risen strongly in May.

Uruci said she preferred to focus on the large $30.8bn on the month rise in wages and salaries.

Dow Jones - Risers

Intel Corp. (INTC) $36.35 2.48%
Chevron Corp. (CVX) $110.80 1.46%
JP Morgan Chase & Co. (JPM) $93.03 1.34%
Nike Inc. (NKE) $59.84 1.34%
Visa Inc. (V) $100.87 1.32%
Verizon Communications Inc. (VZ) $48.89 1.01%
3M Co. (MMM) $203.15 1.00%
Apple Inc. (AAPL) $150.05 0.89%
Travelers Company Inc. (TRV) $129.17 0.87%
Goldman Sachs Group Inc. (GS) $227.02 0.74%

Dow Jones - Fallers

Boeing Co. (BA) $239.44 -1.25%
Caterpillar Inc. (CAT) $113.08 -0.75%
McDonald's Corp. (MCD) $154.04 -0.71%
General Electric Co. (GE) $25.44 -0.66%
Coca-Cola Co. (KO) $45.70 -0.31%
Pfizer Inc. (PFE) $33.08 -0.24%
Microsoft Corp. (MSFT) $72.58 -0.17%
Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) $132.51 -0.16%
American Express Co. (AXP) $85.24 0.01%
Merck & Co. Inc. (MRK) $63.92 0.06%

S&P 500 - Risers

Xerox Corp. (XRX) $32.46 5.84%
SCANA Corp. (SCG) $67.58 4.96%
Air Products & Chemicals Inc. (APD) $148.90 4.76%
Rockwell Collins Inc. (COL) $111.32 4.50%
Simon Property Group Inc. (SPG) $164.58 3.84%
Frontier Communications Co. (FTR) $15.89 3.79%
Owens-Illinois Inc. (OI) $24.72 3.43%
Royal Caribbean Cr (RCL) $116.84 3.36%
Archer-Daniels-Midland Co. (ADM) $43.30 2.66%
Intel Corp. (INTC) $36.35 2.48%

S&P 500 - Fallers

Pitney Bowes Inc. (PBI) $13.31 -15.44%
Under Armour Inc. Class A (UAA) $18.30 -8.59%
Martin Marietta Mtrl (MLM) $211.97 -6.39%
Cummins Inc. (CMI) $157.48 -6.21%
Mosaic Company (MOS) $22.88 -5.18%
Eaton Corporation plc (ETN) $74.26 -5.10%
Endo International Plc (ENDP) $10.51 -4.63%
HCP Inc. (HCP) $30.25 -4.42%
TripAdvisor Inc. (TRIP) $37.35 -4.28%
Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc. (REGN) $472.00 -3.99%

Nasdaq 100 - Risers

Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. - Ordinary Shares (NCLH) $56.91 3.34%
Intel Corp. (INTC) $36.35 2.48%
T-Mobile Us, Inc. (TMUS) $63.07 2.29%
Dish Network Corp. (DISH) $65.49 2.28%
O'Reilly Automotive Inc. (ORLY) $208.16 1.89%
Viacom Inc. Class B (VIAB) $35.53 1.75%
Liberty Interactive Corporation QVC Group (QVCA) $24.34 1.67%
Ulta Salon, Cosmetics & Fragrance Inc. (ULTA) $255.27 1.62%
Liberty Global plc Series A (LBTYA) $34.40 1.59%
Liberty Global plc Series C (LBTYK) $33.25 1.46%

Nasdaq 100 - Fallers

Idexx Laboratories Inc. (IDXX) $154.68 -7.08%
Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc. (REGN) $472.00 -3.99%
Incyte Corp. (INCY) $128.76 -3.40%
Expedia Inc. (EXPE) $152.69 -2.42%
PACCAR Inc. (PCAR) $67.04 -2.06%
Automatic Data Processing Inc. (ADP) $116.78 -1.79%
Paychex Inc. (PAYX) $56.82 -1.78%
CSX Corp. (CSX) $48.60 -1.50%
Mattel Inc. (MAT) $19.72 -1.50%
J.B. Hunt Transport Services Inc. (JBHT) $89.51 -1.32%