Midday Report: Caterpillar Gets Goldman Support, Lifts Dow; Staples Rallies on Buyout Talk

U.S. stocks fluctuate in nervous trading ahead of contentious meeting between President Donald Trump and China's President Xi Jinping later this week. Trump had railed against China on the campaign trail, accusing the country of currency manipulation and blaming it for job losses in the U.S. Caterpillar (CAT) - Get Report boosted the Dow Jones Industrial Average on Tuesday after Goldman Sachs added the stock to its "Conviction Buy" list. Factory orders increased 1% in February, in-line with estimates. New orders for manufactured goods have increased in seven of the past eight months. Staples (SPLS) rocketed higher on reports of a potential sale. The stationery chain could reportedly be worth at least around $7 billion.