Dow components Caterpillar Inc. (NYSE: CAT ), Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE: MRK ), Exxon Mobil Corporation (NYSE: XOM ), and Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE: VZ ) all gained after receiving analyst upgrades. And much attention is being paid in the rise in long-term interest rates, with the 10-year Treasury yield within millimeters of crossing the 3% threshold (2.998%). Kimberly Clark Corp (NYSE: KMB ) fell 1.5% after commodity inflation dinged profitability.