Today's Big Five

Today the major market indexes are trading flat on the session. This morning the futures were sharply higher after Du Pont & Co DD reported positive earnings. Since when has Du Pont & Co become a major market mover? In any case these major market indexes have surged higher since early July and are really due for a pullback or at least consolidation soon. While the majority of the stocks in the NASDAQ and the New York Stock Exchange are trading lower today there are a handful of stocks that are keeping the major market averages trading around the flat line or unchanged level. The first stock that is holding up well today is Exxon Mobil Corp XOM. This stock as you may know has the largest market capitalization in the stock market at $285 billion. Therefore, if you like it or not this stock carries a lot of weight. Rarely will the market indexes decline sharply when this stock is positive. Exxon Mobil is trading higher today by 0.35 cents to $60.74. Exxon Mobil Corp will have daily chart resistance around the $62.00 level. The company is scheduled to report earnings on Thursday July 29th, before the opening bell. Hewlett Packard Co HPQ is also another leading stock that is trading higher today by 1.14 to $47.71 a share. This stock has surged higher since early July when it was trading as low as $42.30. This stock will have daily chart resistance around the $48.00 - $48.50 area. However, today this stock is one of the few leading names that is holding up well in a pausing market. Apple Inc AAPL is by far the strong horse today trading higher by 4.87 to $264.09. Apple Inc has the second largest market capitalization in the stock market behind Exxon Mobil Corp at $241 billion. Therefore, when this stock rallies it can and will help lift the indexes. Apple Inc will have daily chart resistance around the $274.00 - $276.00 area. This stock has been very volatile and choppy throughout July and may remain that way into the end of the month and throughout early August. Google Inc GOOG is another leading stock that is also holding up the fort today. This stock is trading higher by 4.91 to $494.02. Google has recaptured all of it's gains that it lost when it reported earnings on July 15th. However, the stock still faces important daily resistance around the psychological $500.00 level. The last three attempts the stock has made to cross above this area the stock has failed. We shall keep it on the radar. There you have it. These are the five most significant stocks that are keeping the market in one piece today. It is very difficult to see the major market indexes drop much when these stock giants are all trading higher on the session. Nicholas Santiago Chief Market Strategist www.InTheMoneyStocks.com