SAN FRANCISCO  Hewlett-Packard dazzled Wall Street on Tuesday by hopping over a low bar. The company said its core business was not declining as quickly as it was at other major technology companies, prompting investors to drive its shares up nearly 15 percent.

In a preview of a full earnings report it plans to give Monday, the company also said that its fourth-quarter results had exceeded its earlier projections.

The relatively good news comes as the broader technology industry has started to report the effect of a worldwide economic retrenchment in recent weeks. Companies like Cisco Systems and Intel, reporting a rapid decline in consumer spending starting in October, have prepared investors to expect revenue declines of 10 percent or more.

More insight on how the tech sector is faring will come on Thursday when Dell is scheduled to release its third-quarter results.