On Wall Street on Tuesday markets were higher ahead of the Independence Day holiday. At mid-session, the Dow Jones Industrial Average had added 0.27 percent to 13,571.45, while the Nasdaq Composite gained 0.35 percent to 2,641.41 and the S&P 500 was 0.26 percent higher to 1,523.43.
New data from the Commerce Department showed that factory orders were down only 0.5 percent in May, less than the 1 percent drop that had been expected by most analysts.
Carmakers were lower, however, after Ford Motor (NSYE: F) said that sales had dropped in June on less demand for cars. Sales were down for cars, while light truck sales were up slightly. Ford was down 23 cents to $9.41. General Motors (NYSE: GM) was also lower, falling 22 cents to $37.80.
In a related sector, Caterpillar (NYSE: CAT), which makes heavy equipment for construction and agriculture, was down $2.60 to $77.85 on a broker downgrade.
Elsewhere, food processor Kraft Foods (NYSE: KFT) dropped 85 cents to $34.68 after it said that it had offered for part of French food group Groupe Danone.
Computer makers were mixed. Apple (NAS: APPL; LSE: ACP; FWB: APC) added $5.26 to $126.52, while Dell (NAS: DELL; SEHK: 4331) dropped 28 cents to $28.65.