Investing.com – U.S. stocks were higher after the close on Monday, as gains in the Health Care, Utilities and Industrials sectors led shares higher.
At the close in New York, the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 1.29%, while the S&P 500 index gained 1.35%, and the NASDAQ Composite index gained 1.19%.
The best performers of the session on the Dow Jones Industrial Average were UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH), which rose 2.86% or 3.30 points to trade at 118.55 at the close. Meanwhile, 3M Company (NYSE:MMM) added 2.14% or 3.49 points to end at 166.23 and Procter & Gamble Company (NYSE:PG) was up 2.13% or 1.75 points to 83.58 in late trade.
The worst performers of the session were EI du Pont de Nemours and Company (NYSE:DD), which fell 4.26% or 3.43 points to trade at 77.07 at the close. Intel Corporation (NASDAQ:INTC) declined 0.32% or 0.10 points to end at 30.83 and Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) was up 0.45% or 0.18 points to 41.56.
The top performers on the S&P 500 were Edwards Lifesciences Corporation (NYSE:EW) which rose 9.83% to 148.65, Amgen Inc (NASDAQ:AMGN) which was up 5.63% to settle at 162.95 and Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc (NASDAQ:REGN) which gained 5.32% to close at 452.22.
The worst performers were Avon Products Inc (NYSE:AVP) which was down 5.96% to 7.26 in late trade, EI du Pont de Nemours and Company (NYSE:DD) which lost 4.26% to settle at 77.07 and Netflix Inc (NASDAQ:NFLX) which was down 3.73% to 422.05 at the close.
The top performers on the NASDAQ Composite were Sterling Construction Company Inc (NASDAQ:STRL) which rose 30.33% to 3.91, Ceres Inc (NASDAQ:CERE) which was up 27.26% to settle at 0.422 and Recro Pharm (NASDAQ:REPH) which gained 26.50% to close at 7.59.
The worst performers were iDreamSky Technology Limited (NASDAQ:DSKY) which was down 33.92% to 7.15 in late trade, Anthera Pharmaceuticals Inc (NASDAQ:ANTH) which lost 26.09% to settle at 4.050 and NTELOS Holdings Corp (NASDAQ:NTLS) which was down 23.66% to 4.86 at the close.
Rising stocks outnumbered declining ones on the New York Stock Exchange by 2050 to 762; on the Nasdaq Stock Exchange, 1554 rose and 1231 declined, while 7 ended unchanged.
Shares in Edwards Lifesciences Corporation (NYSE:EW) rose to all time highs; up 9.83% or 13.30 to 148.65. Shares in Avon Products Inc (NYSE:AVP) fell to all time lows; falling 5.96% or 0.46 to 7.26. Shares in Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc (NASDAQ:REGN) rose to all time highs; rising 5.32% or 22.84 to 452.22. Shares in UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH) rose to all time highs; rising 2.86% or 3.30 to 118.55. Shares in iDreamSky Technology Limited (NASDAQ:DSKY) fell to all time lows; down 33.92% or 3.67 to 7.15.
The CBOE Volatility Index, which measures the implied volatility of S&P 500 options, was down 2.56% to 15.59.
Gold for April delivery was up 0.10% or 1.20 to $1153.60 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude Oil for delivery in May fell 1.99% or 0.94 to hit $46.12 a barrel, while the May Brent Oil contract fell 1.58% or 0.87 to trade at $54.14 a barrel.
EUR/USD was up 0.66% to 1.0566, while USD/JPY rose 0.01% to 121.40.
The US Dollar Index was down 0.57% at 100.14.