Earning Plays

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Shares of aluminum producer Alcoa Inc. fell Tuesday ahead of its quarterly report, recording the day's largest decline on the Dow Jones industrial average.

The 30-stock index fell 238.42 points to 12,589.07.

Alcoa, which reports results on Wednesday, slipped $2.11, or 6.4 percent, to $31. Citi analyst John H. Hill forecast "soft" results because of lower aluminum prices, among other factors.

Hewlett-Packard Co. declined $2.16, or 4.8 percent, to $43.19. On Tuesday, the company said it will reduce the energy consumption of its desktop and notebook computers by 25 percent by 2010.

AT&T Inc. lost $1.87, or 4.6 percent, to $39.16. Chairman and Chief Executive Randall Stephenson said the telecom carrier is experiencing softness in its consumer business segments.

On the rising side, cigarette maker Altria Group Inc. added $1.09 to $78.32, and reached an all-time high of $79.43.

Pfizer Inc. advanced 24 cents to $23.47.

Coca-Cola Co. rose 26 cents to $63.57.

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