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November 21, 2017: Markets opened higher again Tuesday following a 10+-year high in the Chicago Fed’s national activity index. The sale of existing homes rose 2% last month, its largest gain since the summer.  Only the telecom sector traded lower on Tuesday, with tech and healthcare the day’s leaders. WTI crude oil for January delivery settled at $56.83 a barrel, up 0.7% for the day on the contract’s first front-month trading day. December gold added 0.5% on the day to settle at $1,281.70. Equities were headed for a higher close shortly before the bell as the DJIA traded up 0.67% for the day, the S&P 500 traded up 0.66%, and the Nasdaq Composite traded up 1.01%.

The DJIA stock posting the largest daily percentage gain ahead of the close Tuesday was Apple Inc. (NASDAQ: AAPL) which traded up 1.7% at $172.87. The stock’s 52-week range is $108.25 to $176.24. Volume was about 30% below the daily average of around 28 million shares. The world’s most valuable company had no specific news.

Microsoft Corp. (NASDAQ: MSFT) traded up 1.47% at $83.75. The stock’s 52-week range is $58.80 to $86.20. Volume was about a third below the daily average of around 19 million. The company had no specific news.

Visa Inc. (NYSE: V) traded up 1.25% at $111.32. The stock’s 52-week range is $75.17 to $112.91. Volume was about 20% below the daily average of around 6.4 million shares. The company had no specific news Tuesday.

3M Company (NYSE: MMM) traded up 1.17% at $234.20. The stock’s 52-week range is $171.09 to $238.90. Volume was about 20% below the daily average of around 1.8 million shares. The state of Minnesota hit the company with a lawsuit alleging illegal chemical dumping in the Twin Cities metro area that caused $5 billion in damages.

Of the Dow stocks, 26 are on track to close higher Tuesday and just 4 are set to close lower.