Dow Finishes In The Green Again (VZ, MMM, AAPL, DHR, T)

The Dow Jones Industrial Average closed higher for the fourth straight trading session, gaining 11.56 points to finish at 10,907.42. The S&P 500 and the Nasdaq Composite also registered small gains today. Volume was particularly anemic, though, which has some observers worried that a market correction may be imminent. The momentum to the upside has been so consistent and powerful, however, that nervous investors are probably better off attempting to continue to ride the rally instead of trying to call a top. When price action changes to the downside, it will be time to lock in profits.

The leader in the blue chip index today was 3M (NYSE: MMM) which gained 3.59% to close at $84.28. The catalyst driving this name higher is a research note from Morgan Stanley analyst, Scott Davis. In the wake of an improved first-quarter forecast from Danaher Corp. (NYSE: DHR), Davis wrote "3M and DHR sell into many of the same end markets, with most overlap being in medical and water.” Investors believe that there is a good chance 3M will provide similar upside as DHR when they report earnings on April 27. Danaher shares climbed 4.54% today to $80.88

The other major mover in the Dow was Verizon (NYSE: VZ), which surged 2.56% after reports surfaced that Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL) will be developing an iPhone for the Verizon network. Previously, the iPhone was only compatible with the AT&T (NYSE: T) network. If the rumors are true, they may provide an intermediate term catalyst for VZ shares.