Investing.com – U.S. stocks were higher after the close on Wednesday, as gains in the Technology, Healthcare and Consumer Services sectors led shares higher.
At the close in NYSE, the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 3.95%, while the S&P 500 index gained 3.90%, and the NASDAQ Composite index climbed 4.24%.
The best performers of the session on the Dow Jones Industrial Average were Merck & Company Inc (NYSE:MRK), which rose 6.35% or 3.25 points to trade at 54.42 at the close. Meanwhile, Visa Inc (NYSE:V) added 5.55% or 3.72 points to end at 70.69 and Apple Inc (NASDAQ:AAPL) was up 5.67% or 5.88 points to 109.62 in late trade.
The worst performers of the session were Coca-Cola Company (NYSE:KO), which rose 1.95% or 0.74 points to trade at 38.73 at the close. The Travelers Companies Inc (NYSE:TRV) added 2.30% or 2.25 points to end at 100.00 and Caterpillar Inc (NYSE:CAT) was up 2.51% or 1.81 points to 73.87.
The top performers on the S&P 500 were Cameron International Corporation (NYSE:CAM) which rose 41.11% to 59.93, Mallinckrodt (NYSE:MNK) which was up 9.10% to settle at 85.82 and Monsanto Company (NYSE:MON) which gained 8.57% to close at 97.08.
The worst performers were Transocean Ltd (NYSE:RIG) which was down 4.92% to 11.60 in late trade, Freeport-McMoran Copper & Gold Inc (NYSE:FCX) which lost 3.88% to settle at 7.92 and Schlumberger NV (NYSE:SLB) which was down 3.35% to 70.09 at the close.
The top performers on the NASDAQ Composite were Forward Industries Inc (NASDAQ:FORD) which rose 41.41% to 1.810, Looksmart Ltd (NASDAQ:LOOK) which was up 35.47% to settle at 1.010 and Professional Diversity Network Inc (NASDAQ:IPDN) which gained 31.67% to close at 0.79.
The worst performers were Great Basin Scientific Inc (NASDAQ:GBSN) which was down 39.09% to 0.34 in late trade, Republic Airways Holdings Inc (NASDAQ:RJET) which lost 36.72% to settle at 2.12 and Sky Solar Holdings Adr Rep 8 (NASDAQ:SKYS) which was down 26.47% to 5.00 at the close.
Rising stocks outnumbered declining ones on the New York Stock Exchange by 2060 to 408 and 2 ended unchanged; on the Nasdaq Stock Exchange, 1956 rose and 618 declined, while 3 ended unchanged.
Shares in Transocean Ltd (NYSE:RIG) fell to all time lows; falling 4.92% or 0.60 to 11.60. Shares in Freeport-McMoran Copper & Gold Inc (NYSE:FCX) fell to 5-year lows; losing 3.88% or 0.32 to 7.92. Shares in Schlumberger NV (NYSE:SLB) fell to 52-week lows; losing 3.35% or 2.43 to 70.09. Shares in Forward Industries Inc (NASDAQ:FORD) rose to 52-week highs; up 41.41% or 0.530 to 1.810. Shares in Great Basin Scientific Inc (NASDAQ:GBSN) fell to all time lows; down 39.09% or 0.21 to 0.34. Shares in Republic Airways Holdings Inc (NASDAQ:RJET) fell to all time lows; down 36.72% or 1.23 to 2.12. Shares in Sky Solar Holdings Adr Rep 8 (NASDAQ:SKYS) fell to all time lows; losing 26.47% or 1.80 to 5.00.
The CBOE Volatility Index, which measures the implied volatility of S&P 500 options, was down 16.21% to 30.18.
Gold for December delivery was down 1.36% or 15.50 to $1122.80 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in October fell 1.16% or 0.46 to hit $38.85 a barrel, while the October Brent oil contract rose 0.93% or 0.40 to trade at $43.61 a barrel.
EUR/USD was down 1.70% to 1.1323, while USD/JPY rose 0.90% to 119.92.
The US Dollar Index was up 1.47% at 95.30.