U.S. stocks mixed at close of trade

© Reuters. U.S. stocks mixed at close of trade

Investing.com – U.S. stocks were mixed after the close on Thursday, as gains in the Technology, Basic Materials and Health Care sectors led shares higher while losses in the Utilities, Oil & Gas and Telecommunications sectors led shares lower.

At the close in New York, the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 0.24%, while the S&P 500 index lost 0.11%, and the NASDAQ Composite index climbed 0.37%.

The best performers of the session on the Dow Jones Industrial Average were Boeing Company (NYSE:BA), which rose 1.71% or 2.58 points to trade at 153.75 at the close. Meanwhile, International Business Machines (NYSE:IBM) added 1.05% or 1.70 points to end at 163.89 and Coca-Cola Company (NYSE:KO) was up 0.91% or 0.38 points to 42.11 in late trade.

The worst performers of the session were Wal-Mart Stores Inc (NYSE:WMT), which fell 3.21% or 2.77 points to trade at 83.52 at the close. Chevron Corporation (NYSE:CVX) declined 1.89% or 2.09 points to end at 108.35 and Caterpillar Inc (NYSE:CAT) was down 1.77% or 1.50 points to 83.30.

The top performers on the S&P 500 were Priceline.com Incorporated (NASDAQ:PCLN) which rose 8.46% to 1218.05, Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc (NASDAQ:REGN) which was up 5.13% to settle at 426.60 and Denbury Resources Inc (NYSE:DNR) which gained 4.63% to close at 9.03.

The worst performers were Host Hotels & Resorts Inc (NYSE:HST) which was down 7.09% to 21.87 in late trade, Ball Corporation (NYSE:BLL) which lost 4.29% to settle at 73.85 and Avon Products Inc (NYSE:AVP) which was down 3.43% to 8.73 at the close.

The top performers on the NASDAQ Composite were CollabRx Inc (NASDAQ:CLRX) which rose 65.79% to 1.890, Ascent Solar Technologies Inc (NASDAQ:ASTI) which was up 62.10% to settle at 2.010 and Axion Power International Inc (NASDAQ:AXPW) which gained 47.48% to close at 0.47.

The worst performers were iPass Inc (NASDAQ:IPAS) which was down 28.56% to 0.900 in late trade, Smtp Inc (NASDAQ:SMTP) which lost 16.20% to settle at 4.91 and Avinger Inc (NASDAQ:AVGR) which was down 13.87% to 10.25 at the close.

Falling stocks outnumbered advancing ones on the New York Stock Exchange by 1565 to 1228; on the Nasdaq Stock Exchange, 1494 rose and 1272 declined, while 4 ended unchanged.

Shares in Boeing Company (NYSE:BA) rose to all time highs; up 1.71% or 2.58 to 153.75. Shares in iPass Inc (NASDAQ:IPAS) fell to all time lows; down 28.56% or 0.360 to 0.900. Shares in Smtp Inc (NASDAQ:SMTP) fell to 52-week lows; down 16.20% or 0.95 to 4.91. Shares in Avinger Inc (NASDAQ:AVGR) fell to all time lows; losing 13.87% or 1.65 to 10.25.

The CBOE Volatility Index, which measures the implied volatility of S&P 500 options, was down 1.04% to 15.29.

Gold for April delivery was up 0.60% or 7.20 to $1207.40 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude Oil for delivery in April fell 1.66% or 0.88 to hit $51.95 a barrel, while the April Brent Oil contract fell 0.78% or 0.47 to trade at $60.05 a barrel.

EUR/USD was down 0.27% to 1.1366, while USD/JPY rose 0.14% to 118.95.

The US Dollar Index was up 0.36% at 94.47.