Hewlett-Packard Company (HPQ) Extends the Dow’s Record Rise: Alcoa Inc (AA), Cisco Systems, Inc. (CSCO)

Fortunately, other members of the tech sector are having a better day. Cisco Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ:CSCO) and Intel Corporation (NASDAQ:INTC) have jumped on board the climbing Dow, with shares gaining 2.3% and 1%, respectively. Intel in particular has had a tough go lately, being heavily exposed to the same PC market woes that have taken down HP and Microsoft. However, the company’s making moves to break into the mobile market: Intel is partnering with Chinese mobile-maker ZTE on a line of next-generation smartphones. Intel and ZTE already teamed up for the latter’s Grand X IN smartphone, released in Europe last year, and if Intel’s mobile push pays off, the company will end up much better-positioned for the future.

Outside of tech, aluminum producer Alcoa Inc (NYSE:AA) ranks among the Dow leaders with share price gains of 2.9%. Like Hewlett-Packard Company (NYSE:HPQ), Alcoa has walked a tough road recently: Over the past 52 weeks, the stock has slumped 11.8%. While investors may be looking for a turnaround, don’t expect the path ahead of Alcoa to be any easier: With China looking to curb its housing bubble, demand for raw materials across the Pacific could slow. Budget cuts in the U.S. sure won’t help Alcoa’s cause, either, and if infrastructure spending doesn’t pick up, this stock won’t become the turnaround story many are hoping for.

The article Hewlett Packard (NYSE:HPQ) Extends the Dow’s Record Rise originally appeared on Fool.com and is written by Dan Carroll.

Fool contributor Dan Carroll has no position in any stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool recommends Cisco Systems and Intel. The Motley Fool owns shares of Intel and Microsoft.

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