Before the trading day began, positive news from the housing front made it seem like an up day for the stock market was pretty much a sure bet. Yet stocks didn't immediately cooperate, with the Dow Jones Industrials (^DJI 0.40%) getting off to a slow start. Eventually, though, investors got over their uncertainty about the shortcomings of the U.S. political process and sent the markets higher, with the S&P 500 (INDEX: ^GSPC) hitting another five-year high and the Dow closing up 62 points, or nearly half a percent.

But some stocks weren't fortunate enough to regain lost ground by the end of the day. Coca-Cola (KO) was the worst performer in the Dow, falling 1.5% as it continues to face the long-term threat of anti-obesity regulations. Although Warren Buffett's quip that he will add a five-kilometer fun run to offset the Cherry Coke he offers at his annual meeting certainly had humor value, it also reflects many investors' concerns that perceptions of Coke's products are becoming less favorable. Alternative health-conscious soda maker SodaStream (SODA) has benefited from the trend and gained another 2% today, hitting a 52-week high.

Beyond the Dow, InterOil (NYSE: IOC) fell 3%. Investors have bid the natural gas developer's shares down significantly in recent months, as ongoing uncertainty about its Papua New Guinea reserves and whether it will be able to exploit them to their fullest potential weigh on the stock. As Fool contributor Tyler Crowe explained last week, though, the company's plans to export liquefied natural gas aren't an automatic profit maker, and InterOil will need to do its best to lock in buyers to avoid the inevitable fluctuations in gas prices that could affect its long-term profitability.

Finally, Coeur d'Alene Mines (CDE 2.49%) fell almost 3% despite the fact that the price of silver climbed 1% on the day. Coeur d'Alene was downgraded by BMO Capital Markets yesterday, joining the host of analysts who have cut earnings estimates for the fourth quarter of 2012 by more than 60% in the past three months. With expectations for 2013 earnings being much more optimistic, Coeur d'Alene may give investors a buying opportunity if it can deliver on its promise.