It's always tough when good news gets followed up by a sinking market. This morning, investors were optimistic about a rise in home prices and strong consumer confidence numbers. But as the day wore on, that enthusiasm gave way to selling, as a speech from Philadelphia Federal Reserve President Charles Plosser that was critical of the QE3 program undermined the steadfast perception of the Fed's interventions earlier this month. In addition, a call from asset management giant BlackRock that the market rally had mostly played itself out weighed on sentiment. By the end of the day, the Dow Jones Industrials
Caterpillar
Hewlett-Packard
Finally, Alcoa
Don't get caught out
Long-term investing is a great way to avoid the mindset of constant daily ups and downs. But you have to know a stock inside and out to be comfortable over the long run. For instance, Caterpillar may see trouble ahead, but it's positioning itself to handle it. Find out how in the Fool's premium report on Caterpillar. With a year's worth of free updates, you'll be on top of the action well into the future. Click here to get started.