Investing.com – U.S. stocks were higher after the close on Thursday, as gains in the Consumer Services, Technology and Utilities sectors led shares higher.
At the close in NYSE, the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 0.34% to hit a new 1-month high, while the S&P 500 index added 0.44%, and the NASDAQ Composite index climbed 0.69%.
The best performers of the session on the Dow Jones Industrial Average were UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH), which rose 1.40% or 2.46 points to trade at 178.05 at the close. Meanwhile, The Travelers Companies Inc (NYSE:TRV) added 1.37% or 1.67 points to end at 123.72 and Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) was up 1.24% or 0.85 points to 69.62 in late trade.
The worst performers of the session were E I du Pont de Nemours & Co (NYSE:DD), which fell 1.26% or 0.99 points to trade at 77.39 at the close. General Electric Company (NYSE:GE) declined 1.22% or 0.34 points to end at 27.49 and Chevron Corporation (NYSE:CVX) was down 1.04% or 1.11 points to 105.11.
The top performers on the S&P 500 were Best Buy Co Inc (NYSE:BBY) which rose 21.48% to 61.25, PVH Corp (NYSE:PVH) which was up 4.84% to settle at 106.98 and CSRA Inc (NYSE:CSRA) which gained 4.62% to close at 31.01.
The worst performers were Signet Jewelers Ltd (NYSE:SIG) which was down 7.76% to 50.30 in late trade, Transocean Ltd (NYSE:RIG) which lost 7.57% to settle at 9.65 and Marathon Oil Corporation (NYSE:MRO) which was down 7.09% to 13.50 at the close.
The top performers on the NASDAQ Composite were Spi Energy Co Ltd (NASDAQ:SPI) which rose 319.57% to 1.93, OpGen Inc (NASDAQ:OPGN) which was up 37.04% to settle at 0.740 and Aerie Pharmace (NASDAQ:AERI) which gained 33.95% to close at 54.25.
The worst performers were Globus Maritime Ltd (NASDAQ:GLBS) which was down 25.30% to 1.2400 in late trade, GTX Inc (NASDAQ:GTXI) which lost 20.89% to settle at 3.3700 and Naked Brand Group Inc (NASDAQ:NAKD) which was down 15.98% to 2.050 at the close.
Rising stocks outnumbered declining ones on the New York Stock Exchange by 1649 to 1585 and 36 ended unchanged; on the Nasdaq Stock Exchange, 1297 rose and 1215 declined, while 120 ended unchanged.
Shares in Best Buy Co Inc (NYSE:BBY) rose to all time highs; up 21.48% or 10.83 to 61.25. Shares in Signet Jewelers Ltd (NYSE:SIG) fell to 3-years lows; down 7.76% or 4.23 to 50.30. Shares in UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH) rose to all time highs; gaining 1.40% or 2.46 to 178.05. Shares in Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) rose to all time highs; gaining 1.24% or 0.85 to 69.62. Shares in GTX Inc (NASDAQ:GTXI) fell to 52-week lows; losing 20.89% or 0.8900 to 3.3700. Shares in Aerie Pharmace (NASDAQ:AERI) rose to all time highs; rising 33.95% or 13.75 to 54.25.
The CBOE Volatility Index, which measures the implied volatility of S&P 500 options, was down 0.40% to 9.98.
Gold Futures for June delivery was up 0.18% or 2.25 to $1255.35 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in July fell 4.98% or 2.56 to hit $48.80 a barrel, while the July Brent oil contract fell 4.80% or 2.59 to trade at $51.37 a barrel.
EUR/USD was down 0.09% to 1.1209, while USD/JPY rose 0.30% to 111.83.
The US Dollar Index Futures was up 0.21% at 97.15.