Caterpillar (CAT), Chevron (CVX), Exxon Mobil (XOM) Support Dow on Otherwise Dismal Day

The performance of the Dow Jones Industrial Average would have been much worse than it was yesterday after shares of General Electric (NYSE:GE) and the Walt Disney (NYSE:DIS) company pulled the Dow down, as later in the session Caterpillar (NYSE:CAT), Chevron (NYSE:CVX) and Exxon Mobil (NYSE:XOM) moved up to offer some support to the index.

Chevron and Exxon moved up as the price of oil rose to over $101 a barrel. The energy sector was the only category ending Monday in the black, as crude prices rose.

Many other sectors and companies have significant exposure in Japan, including insurers like Aflac (NYSE:AFL) and uranium companies like Cameco (NYSE:CCJ).

Caterpillar closed Monday at $102.10, gaining $2.08, or 2.08 percent. Chevron closed at $100.80, up $0.87, or 0.87 percent. Exxon ended the session at $82.38, up $0.26, or 0.32 percent.