Investing.com – U.S. stocks were higher after the close on Tuesday, as gains in the Technology, Basic Materials and Consumer Services sectors led shares higher.
At the close in NYSE, the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 0.06%, while the S&P 500 index climbed 0.22%, and the NASDAQ Composite index gained 0.45%.
The best performers of the session on the Dow Jones Industrial Average were Apple Inc (NASDAQ:AAPL), which rose 0.63% or 0.73 points to trade at 117.25 at the close. Meanwhile, Cisco Systems Inc (NASDAQ:CSCO) added 0.49% or 0.15 points to end at 30.68 and Merck & Company Inc (NYSE:MRK) was up 0.39% or 0.23 points to 59.79 in late trade.
The worst performers of the session were Nike Inc (NYSE:NKE), which fell 1.19% or 0.62 points to trade at 51.29 at the close. Procter & Gamble Company (NYSE:PG) declined 0.42% or 0.36 points to end at 84.60 and UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH) was down 0.24% or 0.39 points to 162.64.
The top performers on the S&P 500 were NVIDIA Corporation (NASDAQ:NVDA) which rose 6.87% to 117.32, First Solar Inc (NASDAQ:FSLR) which was up 4.20% to settle at 33.99 and CF Industries Holdings Inc (NYSE:CF) which gained 4.04% to close at 31.95.
The worst performers were Mallinckrodt (NYSE:MNK) which was down 2.65% to 51.77 in late trade, Endo International PLC (NASDAQ:ENDP) which lost 2.27% to settle at 15.90 and Mattel Inc (NASDAQ:MAT) which was down 1.80% to 27.83 at the close.
The top performers on the NASDAQ Composite were Ignite Restaurant Group Inc (NASDAQ:IRG) which rose 87.52% to 0.727, Moleculin Biotech Inc (NASDAQ:MBRX) which was up 39.59% to settle at 2.75 and Conatus Pharmaceuticals Inc (NASDAQ:CNAT) which gained 37.92% to close at 6.110.
The worst performers were Endologix Inc (NASDAQ:ELGX) which was down 26.70% to 5.27 in late trade, Pernix Therapeutics Holdings Inc (NASDAQ:PTX) which lost 19.32% to settle at 2.130 and Sphere 3D Corp (NASDAQ:ANY) which was down 16.06% to 0.260 at the close.
Rising stocks outnumbered declining ones on the New York Stock Exchange by 1983 to 1249 and 39 ended unchanged; on the Nasdaq Stock Exchange, 1468 rose and 1046 declined, while 119 ended unchanged.
Shares in NVIDIA Corporation (NASDAQ:NVDA) rose to all time highs; gaining 6.87% or 7.54 to 117.32. Shares in Endologix Inc (NASDAQ:ELGX) fell to 5-year lows; losing 26.70% or 1.92 to 5.27. Shares in Pernix Therapeutics Holdings Inc (NASDAQ:PTX) fell to 52-week lows; down 19.32% or 0.510 to 2.130. Shares in Conatus Pharmaceuticals Inc (NASDAQ:CNAT) rose to 52-week highs; gaining 37.92% or 1.680 to 6.110.
The CBOE Volatility Index, which measures the implied volatility of S&P 500 options, was up 4.63% to 11.97.
Gold for February delivery was up 0.56% or 6.35 to $1139.95 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in February rose 1.55% or 0.82 to hit $53.84 a barrel, while the March Brent oil contract rose 1.57% or 0.88 to trade at $56.78 a barrel.
EUR/USD was up 0.03% to 1.0457, while USD/JPY rose 0.30% to 117.44.
The US Dollar Index was up 0.06% at 103.01.