Investing.com – U.S. stocks were lower after the close on Wednesday, as losses in the Basic Materials, Consumer Services and Financials sectors led shares lower.
At the close in New York, the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 1.06%, while the S&P 500 index declined 0.58%, and the NASDAQ Composite index declined 0.48%.
The best performers of the session on the Dow Jones Industrial Average were Merck & Company Inc (NYSE:MRK), which rose 0.72% or 0.45 points to trade at 62.64 at the close. Meanwhile, UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH) added 0.25% or 0.26 points to end at 103.33 and Pfizer Inc (NYSE:PFE) was up 0.12% or 0.04 points to 32.48 in late trade.
The worst performers of the session were JPMorgan Chase & Co (NYSE:JPM), which fell 3.45% or 2.03 points to trade at 56.81 at the close. Wal-Mart Stores Inc (NYSE:WMT) declined 3.02% or 2.70 points to end at 86.61 and Goldman Sachs Group Inc (NYSE:GS) was down 2.54% or 4.70 points to 180.23.
The top performers on the S&P 500 were GameStop Corp (NYSE:GME) which rose 10.50% to 36.21, Newfield Exploration Company (NYSE:NFX) which was up 5.63% to settle at 24.19 and ONEOK Inc (NYSE:OKE) which gained 5.20% to close at 42.32.
The worst performers were Freeport-McMoran Copper & Gold Inc (NYSE:FCX) which was down 10.93% to 18.74 in late trade, Viacom B Inc (NASDAQ:VIAB) which lost 6.65% to settle at 67.80 and Alcoa Inc (NYSE:AA) which was down 5.38% to 14.95 at the close.
The top performers on the NASDAQ Composite were ZIOPHARM Oncology Inc (NASDAQ:ZIOP) which rose 54.53% to 8.87, Smith Micro Software Inc (NASDAQ:SMSI) which was up 38.89% to settle at 1.750 and Fibrocell S (NASDAQ:FCSC) which gained 37.46% to close at 4.00.
The worst performers were Flamel Technologies SA (NASDAQ:FLML) which was down 37.74% to 11.50 in late trade, Westmoreland Coal Company (NASDAQ:WLBPZ) which lost 32.17% to settle at 51.360 and Datawatch Corporation (NASDAQ:DWCH) which was down 24.41% to 5.76 at the close.
Falling stocks outnumbered advancing ones on the New York Stock Exchange by 1757 to 1048; on the Nasdaq Stock Exchange, 1785 fell and 998 advanced, while 7 ended unchanged.
Shares in Freeport-McMoran Copper & Gold Inc (NYSE:FCX) fell to 5-year lows; losing 10.93% or 2.30 to 18.74. Shares in Viacom B Inc (NASDAQ:VIAB) fell to 52-week lows; losing 6.65% or 4.83 to 67.80. Shares in ZIOPHARM Oncology Inc (NASDAQ:ZIOP) rose to 3-year highs; gaining 54.53% or 3.13 to 8.87. Shares in Datawatch Corporation (NASDAQ:DWCH) fell to 3-year lows; falling 24.41% or 1.86 to 5.76.
The CBOE Volatility Index, which measures the implied volatility of S&P 500 options, was up 4.91% to 21.57.
Gold for February delivery was down 0.36% or 4.50 to $1229.90 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude Oil for delivery in February rose 5.84% or 2.68 to hit $48.57 a barrel, while the March Brent Oil contract rose 4.27% or 2.04 to trade at $49.86 a barrel.
EUR/USD was up 0.10% to 1.1785, while USD/JPY fell 0.51% to 117.33.
The US Dollar Index was down 0.14% at 92.31.