Investing.com – U.S. stocks were higher after the close on Thursday, as gains in the Telecoms, Utilities and Basic Materials sectors led shares higher.
At the close in NYSE, the Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 0.16% to hit a new all time high, while the S&P 500 index climbed 0.05%, and the NASDAQ Composite index gained 0.05%.
The best performers of the session on the Dow Jones Industrial Average were UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH), which rose 0.86% or 1.89 points to trade at 222.31 at the close. Meanwhile, Caterpillar Inc (NYSE:CAT) added 0.52% or 0.81 points to end at 158.33 and The Travelers Companies Inc (NYSE:TRV) was up 0.49% or 0.66 points to 135.43 in late trade.
The worst performers of the session were Coca-Cola Company (NYSE:KO), which fell 0.62% or 0.28 points to trade at 45.65 at the close. 3M Company (NYSE:MMM) declined 0.21% or 0.50 points to end at 235.70 and General Electric Company (NYSE:GE) was down 0.20% or 0.04 points to 17.34.
The top performers on the S&P 500 were Chesapeake Energy Corporation (NYSE:CHK) which rose 4.64% to 4.060, Netflix Inc (NASDAQ:NFLX) which was up 4.37% to settle at 194.38 and Range Resources Corporation (NYSE:RRC) which gained 3.86% to close at 17.61.
The worst performers were Discovery Communications Inc (NASDAQ:DISCA) which was down 2.26% to 22.53 in late trade, Discovery Communications C Inc (NASDAQ:DISCK) which lost 2.16% to settle at 21.27 and Monster Beverage 1990 Corp (NASDAQ:MNST) which was down 1.95% to 62.98 at the close.
The top performers on the NASDAQ Composite were LiNiu Technology Group (NASDAQ:LINU) which rose 139.70% to 3.188, Live Ventures Inc (NASDAQ:LIVE) which was up 57.65% to settle at 20.810 and vTv Therapeutics Inc (NASDAQ:VTVT) which gained 38.23% to close at 5.60.
The worst performers were Sigma Labs Inc (NASDAQ:SGLB) which was down 21.43% to 2.279 in late trade, Cerecor Inc (NASDAQ:CERC) which lost 19.53% to settle at 3.251 and Real Goods Solar Inc (NASDAQ:RGSE) which was down 17.03% to 1.5100 at the close.
Rising stocks outnumbered declining ones on the New York Stock Exchange by 1817 to 1303 and 58 ended unchanged; on the Nasdaq Stock Exchange, 1353 rose and 1156 declined, while 111 ended unchanged.
Shares in Caterpillar Inc (NYSE:CAT) rose to all time highs; gaining 0.52% or 0.81 to 158.33. Shares in General Electric Company (NYSE:GE) fell to 5-year lows; falling 0.20% or 0.04 to 17.34.
The CBOE Volatility Index, which measures the implied volatility of S&P 500 options, was down 2.96% to 10.16.
Gold Futures for February delivery was up 0.40% or 5.20 to $1296.60 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in February rose 0.39% or 0.23 to hit $59.87 a barrel, while the March Brent oil contract rose 0.33% or 0.22 to trade at $66.21 a barrel.
EUR/USD was up 0.43% to 1.1947, while USD/JPY fell 0.28% to 112.88.
The US Dollar Index Futures was down 0.36% at 92.33.