NEW YORK (AP) Stocks are edging higher in early trading on Wall Street, putting the market on track for its third gain in a row.
Microsoft led the Dow Jones industrial average higher after announcing a 22 percent dividend increase and a $40 billion stock buyback program.
The Dow was up 37 points, or 0.2 percent, at 15,531 after the first few minutes of trading Tuesday.
The Standard & Poor's 500 index was up four points, or 0.2 percent, at 1,701. The S&P 500 is eight points below its record high reached on Aug. 2.
The Nasdaq composite was up eight points, or 0.2 percent, at 3,726.
