The market was slightly down today. The Dow Jones Industrial Average (INDEX: ^DJI) and the S&P 500 (INDEX: ^GSPC) both dropped 0.3%, and the Nasdaq (INDEX: ^IXIC) dropped 0.2%. No Dow component was up or down as much as 3%. With that as context, let's look at the stocks everybody was talking about.

Of course, the most popular stock on the block, Apple (Nasdaq: AAPL), made some news today. Folks are already lined up for Friday's iPhone 5 release, and preorders hit 2 million in the first 24 hours! Given the excitement in the actual market, Apple's shares hit new heights in the stock market. After hours today, shares hit $700. (For more on Apple's prospects, check out our premium Apple report.)

Everything's going well for Apple, but General Motors, Netflix (Nasdaq: NFLX), and Groupon didn't fare as well today.

GM has been trying to get the government to sell its remaining stake in the bailed-out carmaker. The Treasury, loath to take a loss on the shares, doesn't appear ready to sell at these prices. Shares fell 1.4% to $23.80, making the potential exit price that much less palatable.

Netflix shares dropped 5.8% to less than $60 a share as Macquarie research analyst Tim Nollen initiated coverage by rating Netflix an "underperform" (Wall Street-speakfor "sell"). He believes Netflix isn't in a good negotiating position versus the content providers it relies on.   

Meanwhile, Groupon was down almost 10% today, as a survey of merchants showed some less-than-impressive results. Groupon's had a rough go of it. Today's price is under $5 a share, a far cry from a 52-week high of $31.14. That may sound tantalizingly cheap, but there's a lot to dislike about Groupon's business.  

Apple, GM, Netflix, and Groupon dominated the day, but if you're looking for solid investing ideas beyond the daily news, check out our free report: "The 3 Dow Stocks Dividend Investors Need." It features three of the most unassailable businesses in America. Find out their names now.