Investing.com – U.S. stocks were mixed after the close on Wednesday, as gains in the Telecoms, Utilities and Basic Materials sectors led shares higher while losses in the Oil & Gas, Consumer Services and Technology sectors led shares lower.
At the close in NYSE, the Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 0.13% to hit a new all time high, while the S&P 500 index climbed 0.01%, and the NASDAQ Composite index lost 0.34%.
The best performers of the session on the Dow Jones Industrial Average were UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH), which rose 1.16% or 1.62 points to trade at 141.48 at the close. Meanwhile, Verizon Communications Inc (NYSE:VZ) added 0.97% or 0.54 points to end at 56.00 and Goldman Sachs Group Inc (NYSE:GS) was up 0.64% or 1.00 points to 157.92 in late trade.
The worst performers of the session were Home Depot Inc (NYSE:HD), which fell 0.95% or 1.28 points to trade at 133.56 at the close. Apple Inc (NASDAQ:AAPL) declined 0.56% or 0.55 points to end at 96.87 and Boeing Company (NYSE:BA) was down 0.54% or 0.70 points to 130.11.
The top performers on the S&P 500 were CSX Corporation (NASDAQ:CSX) which rose 4.40% to 28.21, Humana Inc (NYSE:HUM) which was up 4.26% to settle at 161.30 and Level 3 Communications Inc (NYSE:LVLT) which gained 3.53% to close at 56.30.
The worst performers were Chesapeake Energy Corporation (NYSE:CHK) which was down 4.81% to 4.350 in late trade, Diamond Offshore Drilling Inc (NYSE:DO) which lost 4.10% to settle at 25.04 and Host Hotels & Resorts Inc (NYSE:HST) which was down 3.96% to 16.48 at the close.
The top performers on the NASDAQ Composite were EnteroMedics Inc (NASDAQ:ETRM) which rose 36.28% to 0.4188, Trio Merger Corp (NASDAQ:SAEX) which was up 26.44% to settle at 0.240 and Ocean Shore Holding Co (NASDAQ:OSHC) which gained 26.28% to close at 21.38.
The worst performers were Avinger Inc (NASDAQ:AVGR) which was down 39.72% to 6.89 in late trade, SemiLEDS Corporation (NASDAQ:LEDS) which lost 16.26% to settle at 6.8000 and Clean Diesel Technologies Inc (NASDAQ:CDTI) which was down 14.73% to 0.5801 at the close.
Falling stocks outnumbered advancing ones on the New York Stock Exchange by 1762 to 1509 and 33 ended unchanged; on the Nasdaq Stock Exchange, 1504 fell and 1048 advanced, while 72 ended unchanged.
Shares in Level 3 Communications Inc (NYSE:LVLT) rose to 52-week highs; gaining 3.53% or 1.92 to 56.30. Shares in Avinger Inc (NASDAQ:AVGR) fell to all time lows; losing 39.72% or 4.54 to 6.89. Shares in Ocean Shore Holding Co (NASDAQ:OSHC) rose to all time highs; gaining 26.28% or 4.45 to 21.38.
The CBOE Volatility Index, which measures the implied volatility of S&P 500 options, was down 3.76% to 13.04 a new 6-months low.
Gold for August delivery was up 0.61% or 8.20 to $1343.50 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in August fell 3.55% or 1.66 to hit $45.14 a barrel, while the September Brent oil contract fell 3.80% or 1.84 to trade at $46.63 a barrel.
EUR/USD was up 0.31% to 1.1095, while USD/JPY fell 0.26% to 104.42.
The US Dollar Index was down 0.24% at 96.32.