Raised full-year 2026 forecasts from 3M and Northrop Grumman, alongside lower oil prices, helped push the Dow up 529.85 points Tuesday, even as the Nasdaq closed slightly lower.
The mixed U.S. market close left the Dow Jones Industrial Average at 52,495.88, up 1.02%. The S&P 500 added 21.84 points, or 0.28%, to 7,712.57. The Nasdaq Composite lost 6.07 points, or 0.02%, to 26,424.82 after trading higher earlier in the session.
3M reported third-quarter sales of $6.6 billion and adjusted earnings of $2.50 per share, 12% above the year-earlier figure. It raised its 2026 adjusted earnings forecast to $9.10 to $9.15 per share. Northrop Grumman reported quarterly sales of $11.1 billion, up 7%, and diluted earnings of $7.89 per share. Its new 2026 forecast is $29.35 to $29.75 per share for MTM-adjusted earnings. That forecast measure is separate from the diluted earnings reported for the quarter.
December Brent crude settled at $108.79 a barrel, down 0.69%, after reaching $111.99 during the session. The Associated Press connected gains in airline shares with the decline in crude. The wire service also reported continued volatility in AI-related stocks and said concern about borrowing costs could limit financing for AI infrastructure.
