Investing.com – U.S. stocks were higher after the close on Tuesday, as gains in the Healthcare, Financials and Utilities sectors led shares higher.
At the close in NYSE, the Dow Jones Industrial Average added 0.12%, while the S&P 500 index added 0.13%, and the NASDAQ Composite index gained 0.21%.
The best performers of the session on the Dow Jones Industrial Average were UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH), which rose 3.71% or 5.65 points to trade at 157.76 at the close. Meanwhile, Boeing Company (NYSE:BA) added 1.26% or 1.89 points to end at 151.66 and Pfizer Inc (NYSE:PFE) was up 1.24% or 0.39 points to 31.93 in late trade.
The worst performers of the session were Chevron Corporation (NYSE:CVX), which fell 1.04% or 1.15 points to trade at 109.35 at the close. American Express Company (NYSE:AXP) declined 0.92% or 0.66 points to end at 71.47 and Caterpillar Inc (NYSE:CAT) was down 0.90% or 0.85 points to 94.05.
The top performers on the S&P 500 were Alexion Pharmaceuticals Inc (NASDAQ:ALXN) which rose 5.20% to 125.59, Centene Corporation (NYSE:CNC) which was up 3.88% to settle at 57.60 and UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH) which gained 3.71% to close at 157.76.
The worst performers were Mallinckrodt (NYSE:MNK) which was down 9.10% to 52.42 in late trade, Freeport-McMoran Copper & Gold Inc (NYSE:FCX) which lost 5.13% to settle at 14.97 and Delphi Automotive plc (NYSE:DLPH) which was down 4.37% to 63.42 at the close.
The top performers on the NASDAQ Composite were Genetic Technologies Ltd (NASDAQ:GENE) which rose 64.62% to 2.140, Globus Maritime Ltd (NASDAQ:GLBS) which was up 46.19% to settle at 5.5700 and Acasti Pharma Inc (NASDAQ:ACST) which gained 33.33% to close at 1.800.
The worst performers were Nivalis Therapeutics Inc (NASDAQ:NVLS) which was down 58.88% to 2.570 in late trade, Interpace Diagnostics Group Inc (NASDAQ:IDXG) which lost 41.29% to settle at 0.1762 and Active Power Inc (NASDAQ:ACPW) which was down 23.63% to 0.206 at the close.
Falling stocks outnumbered advancing ones on the New York Stock Exchange by 1688 to 1471 and 95 ended unchanged; on the Nasdaq Stock Exchange, 1248 fell and 1225 advanced, while 146 ended unchanged.
Shares in Mallinckrodt (NYSE:MNK) fell to 52-week lows; falling 9.10% or 5.25 to 52.42. Shares in UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH) rose to all time highs; rising 3.71% or 5.65 to 157.76. Shares in UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH) rose to all time highs; gaining 3.71% or 5.65 to 157.76. Shares in Boeing Company (NYSE:BA) rose to 52-week highs; rising 1.26% or 1.89 to 151.66. Shares in Nivalis Therapeutics Inc (NASDAQ:NVLS) fell to all time lows; falling 58.88% or 3.680 to 2.570.
The CBOE Volatility Index, which measures the implied volatility of S&P 500 options, was down 1.90% to 12.90.
Gold for December delivery was down 0.32% or 3.80 to $1187.00 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in January fell 3.84% or 1.81 to hit $45.27 a barrel, while the February Brent oil contract fell 3.78% or 1.86 to trade at $47.35 a barrel.
EUR/USD was up 0.35% to 1.0651, while USD/JPY rose 0.38% to 112.36.
The US Dollar Index was down 0.24% at 100.97.