The Dow closed up +27.57 (+0.20%) at 13,534.89.

Things are looking good right now, with everything I care about (financially speaking) hitting new highs. Life is good and worry-free. Or is it?

Here’s what I think. I think we may experience, climbing a wall of worry. Which will be good. You just gotta kick back and let it happen. Now if it doesn’t happen, we will feel that, and probably soon, with earnings reports rolling in.

Wal-Mart (WMT) announced a new initiative to hire at least 100,000 veterans and purchase an additional $50 billion in American-made products over the next decade. The retailer called it an effort to reduce unemployment and boost economic growth in its core market. Some of it’s critics responded that the company could achieve the same goal by paying its current employees more. The stock closed up 1%.

Microsoft (MSFT) was the Dow stocks leader today, gaining 1.19%. Investors were encouraged by news from Facebook (FB) that the social networking site will be using Microsoft’s Bing to help power a new search functionality within Facebook’s site. However, Facebook shares fell 2.7% on the big mystery announcement.

Hewlett-Packard (HPQ) was the loss leader for Dow stocks today, down 2.48%. However, HP shares are still up 16% this year and is up the most of any Dow stock.

The Dow stock winners today were led by MSFT (+1.19%), CAT, JPM, WMT and DIS.

Dow stock losers were led by HPQ (-2.48%), VZ, MRK, T and AXP.