US blue chip stocks inched higher on Tuesday, buoyed by Boeing Co shares a day after the US defence contractor agreed to settle a government probe, while weak sales from office supply retailer Staples drove down its stock and dragged on the Nasdaq.
Boeing, a Dow component that fell sharply on Monday, rebounded on Tuesday and rose 1 percent on the New York Stock Exchange. The Dow Jones industrial average was up 26.74 points, or 0.23 percent, at 11,455.99. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index was up 1.85 points, or 0.14 percent, at 1,296.35. The Nasdaq Composite Index was down 3.07 points, or 0.14 percent, at 2,235.45.