NEW YORK (CNN/Money) - U.S. stocks edged higher early Tuesday as positive comments out of the auto sector overpowered a mixed outlook from mobile handset maker Nokia ahead of the one-year anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks and anticipated comments on Iraq and the economy.

Around 10:45 a.m. ET, the Dow Jones industrial average rose 62.35 to 8,581.73. The Nasdaq composite index added 15.05 to 1,319.65. The Standard & Poor's 500 index gained 6.19 to 909.15.

Trading is expected to be tentative ahead of Wednesday's anniversary of the worst terrorist attack in the nation's history. Markets will delay opening by 90 minutes to allow traders and other market participants to attend memorial observances.

Today's (Tuesday) trade is best summed up as skittish consolidation. We're struggling for direction in thin trade with people reluctant to do much ahead of the anniversary," said Bryan Piskorowski, market analyst at Prudential Financial. "You saw a late-day reversal yesterday (Monday) from the morning's lows and you're seeing a little pop-up right now, but it doesn't mean anything fundamental. Program traders are dominating the day-to-day."

Also key are two important comments from government leaders expected Thursday: President Bush's pitch to the United Nations for global action against Iraqi president Saddam Hussein, and Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan's testimony on the state of the economy before the House Budget Committee.

In corporate news, No. 2 automaker Ford (F: up $0.14 to $10.94, Research, Estimates) said late Monday that it expects to post a small profit in the current quarter and in 2002, due to progress on its revitalization plan. Analysts have been expecting a loss of 10 cents for the current quarter and a profit of 29 cents for 2002. Following the news, UBS Warburg raised its 2002 earnings per share estimates to 40 cents from 15 cents, but maintained its "reduce" rating and warned that even with the push, earnings are very depressed.

German automaker DaimlerChrysler (DCX: up $1.50 to $42.75, Research, Estimates) reiterated that 2002 operating profit at its trucks unit would come in higher than the previous year's level, despite the tough market conditions. The company also said that restructuring at the U.S. Freightliner arm, which hurt results last year, was moving ahead of plan

Mobile handset maker Nokia (NOK: down $0.39 to $13.79, Research, Estimates) lowered its third-quarter sales targets, citing continued weakness at its network equipment unit amid poor market demand. However, tempering the negativity, the company said it expects to reach its third-quarter earnings targets and that sales of mobile phone in the quarter should grow from the same period one-year earlier by 4 percent to 9 percent. Shares of the stock declined, taking Ericsson (ERICY: down $0.04 to $0.64, Research, Estimates) and other sector mates down with it.

Countering the negative telecom trend, shares of gear maker Redback Networks (RBAK: up $0.15 to $1.01, Research, Estimates) rallied on news that the company has signed a multi-million dollar deal with China's Shanghai Telecom.

Shares of Intel (INTC: up $0.47 to $16.55, Research, Estimates) rose despite some lukewarm comments late Monday. The No. 1 chipmaker's president and chief operating officer said that it was too early to predict the year-end holiday personal computer demand and that there is no sign yet of a recovery in U.S. PC sales.

Shares of Genentech (DNA: down $2.65 to $29.35, Research, Estimates) fell sharply after the biotech said late Monday that a late stage study of its experimental Avastin drug, which is used to treat breast cancer, showed disappointing results. Following the news, Salomon Smith Barney downgraded the stock to "in line" from "outperform," and Prudential cut its price target to $25 from $30.

European markets were higher at midday, while Asian-Pacific stocks finished mostly higher Tuesday.

Treasury prices fell, with the 10-year note yield at 4.08 percent. The dollar strengthened against the yen and euro.

Light oil futures gained 47 cents to $30.20 a barrel, while gold was lower.

Market breadth was positive. On the New York Stock Exchange, advancers edged decliners 8-to-5 as 316 million shares changed hands. On the Nasdaq, winners edged losers 8-to-7 as 438 million shares traded.