U.S. stocks edged up Monday, led by technology stocks, including Microsoft and SanDisk, following ratings upgrades from analysts, although jitters over second quarter earnings reports and disappointing import data from China weighed on Alcoa and other materials stocks.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average climbed 18.24 points, or 0.18%, to 10216.27, the measure's fifth straight session in the black. This marks the DJIA's longest winning streak since a six day run that ended April 26.

Microsoft (Nasdaq) was the measure's best performer with a jump of 56 cents, or 2.3%, to 24.83.

The DJIA's material and industrial components were pulled lower after data showed Chinese imports slowed to a yearly growth rate of 34.1% in June from 48.3% in May.

United Technologies declined 83 cents, or 1.2%, to 66.68, while DuPont slipped 38 cents, or 1%, to 36.52, Caterpillar dropped 44 cents, or 0.7%, to 64.28, and Alcoa fell 7 cents, or 0.6%, to 10.87.

Alcoa's decline also came ahead of its second quarter earnings report as investors fretted that the stocks' jump of more than 9% last week may have boosted the stock a little too much ahead of its report.

After the close, the aluminum giant reported second quarter earnings a penny above analysts' estimates. Revenue also topped analysts' expectations, and the company raised its projection for aluminum consumption.

The Nasdaq Composite rose 1.91, or 0.09%, to 2198.36. The Standard & Poor's 500 index advanced 0.79, or 0.07%, to 1078.75.

The technology sector led the gains, while the materials and industrials sectors led to the downside. The technology sector's strength followed a number of upgrades from analysts. Yahoo, SanDisk and Qualcomm all joined Microsoft in receiving upgrades to their investment ratings from analysts.

Yahoo (Nasdaq) edged up 5 cents, or 0.3%, to 14.94, while SanDisk (Nasdaq) added 2.91, or 6.8%, to 45.81, and Qualcomm (Nasdaq) rose 1.19, or 3.5%, to 35.10.

European shares rose Monday, with oil giant BP trading sharply higher amid deal speculation, and as investors awaited the start of the U.S. second quarter earnings season.

The Stoxx Europe 600 index gained 0.4% to 251.18 in a choppy session, with shares of oil major BP jumping 9.4% to 399 pence.

Monday's move for the index built on a 5.4% gain last week, the best weekly performance in more than a year, as economic data, central bank comments and some details on European bank stress tests boosted sentiment.

Of the main regional benchmarks, the French CAC-40 index rose 0.4% to 3,567.66, the U.K.'s FTSE 100 index closed up 0.7% at 5,167.02 and the German DAX index added 0.2% to 6,077.19.

Shares of BP climbed in London after the firm said that the installation of a new containment cap was proceeding as planned.

Also, the Sunday Times newspaper reported, without citing sources, that BP management was in talks to sell up to $12 billion of assets to Apache Corp.,the U.S. oil firm, including a big stake in Alaska's Prudhoe Bay.

Most Asian markets advanced Monday as strong Chinese exports data and extended gains on Wall Street aided sentiment in the region.

The Nikkei Stock Average lost 0.4% to 9,548.11 in Tokyo, while China's Shanghai Composite gained 0.8%, Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index advanced 0.4%, and South Korea's Kospi added 0.6%.

Sentiment got a boost in some regional markets after Saturday's data showed China's exports in June grew 43.9% from the year earlier month to a record $137 billion, beating estimates.

The exports data suggested that global growth was holding up despite disappointing U.S. economic data.

Bank of China rose 0.9% and China Merchants Bank advanced 2.1% in Shanghai; the stocks added 1.2% and 1.3% in Hong Kong.

Base metals on the London Metal Exchange ended lower Monday after a day of thin trading in which data showing a drop in Chinese copper imports weighed heavily on sentiment.

LME three month copper closed down $130 at $6,625 a metric ton, while three month nickel closed $300 lower at $19,195/ton.

The world's largest copper consumer imported 328,231 tons of copper, copper alloy and semifinished products in June, down 17% on the month and down 31% on the year, according to preliminary data provided Saturday by the General Administration of Customs.

Crude futures settled lower Monday, staying well within their recent trading range ahead of important economic data later this week and the beginning of corporate earnings season.

Light, sweet crude for August delivery settled down $1.14, or 1.5%, at $74.95 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange.

Brent crude on the ICE futures exchange settled down $1.05 at $74.37 a barrel. Gold futures slid as equities markets remained in a holding pattern ahead of the start of earnings season. The most actively traded contract, for August delivery, settled down $11.10, or 0.9%, at $1,198.70.

Provided by Morrison Securities