Investing.com – U.S. stocks were higher after the close on Thursday, as gains in the Technology, Healthcare and Oil & Gas sectors led shares higher.
At the close in NYSE, the Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 0.47%, while the S&P 500 index gained 0.53%, and the NASDAQ Composite index added 0.84%.
The best performers of the session on the Dow Jones Industrial Average were Apple Inc (NASDAQ:AAPL), which rose 2.20% or 2.42 points to trade at 112.57 at the close. Meanwhile, Pfizer Inc (NYSE:PFE) added 2.07% or 0.66 points to end at 32.62 and Merck & Company Inc (NYSE:MRK) was up 1.52% or 0.79 points to 52.72 in late trade.
The worst performers of the session were Wal-Mart Stores Inc (NYSE:WMT), which fell 1.54% or 1.00 points to trade at 64.12 at the close. Caterpillar Inc (NYSE:CAT) declined 0.74% or 0.54 points to end at 72.42 and United Technologies Corporation (NYSE:UTX) was down 0.49% or 0.45 points to 91.40.
The top performers on the S&P 500 were Freeport-McMoran Copper & Gold Inc (NYSE:FCX) which rose 5.03% to 11.27, KLA-Tencor Corporation (NASDAQ:KLAC) which was up 4.32% to settle at 51.48 and Keurig Green Mountain Inc (NASDAQ:GMCR) which gained 3.93% to close at 60.89.
The worst performers were Wynn Resorts Limited (NASDAQ:WYNN) which was down 4.61% to 69.67 in late trade, Qorvo Inc (NASDAQ:QRVO) which lost 4.54% to settle at 53.98 and Williams Companies Inc (NYSE:WMB) which was down 3.78% to 44.27 at the close.
The top performers on the NASDAQ Composite were Envivio Inc (NASDAQ:ENVI) which rose 113.68% to 4.060, Axion Power International Inc (NASDAQ:AXPW) which was up 45.05% to settle at 2.350 and Zs Pharma I (NASDAQ:ZSPH) which gained 28.42% to close at 74.73.
The worst performers were DryShips Inc (NASDAQ:DRYS) which was down 40.11% to 0.255 in late trade, Nexvet Biopharma (NASDAQ:NVET) which lost 20.38% to settle at 4.98 and Asia Pacific Wire & Cable Corp Ltd (NASDAQ:APWC) which was down 19.43% to 1.410 at the close.
Rising stocks outnumbered declining ones on the New York Stock Exchange by 1408 to 1142 and 4 ended unchanged; on the Nasdaq Stock Exchange, 1501 rose and 1066 declined, while 54 ended unchanged.
Shares in Wynn Resorts Limited (NASDAQ:WYNN) fell to 5-year lows; down 4.61% or 3.37 to 69.67. Shares in Envivio Inc (NASDAQ:ENVI) rose to 3-years highs; up 113.68% or 2.160 to 4.060. Shares in DryShips Inc (NASDAQ:DRYS) fell to all time lows; losing 40.11% or 0.171 to 0.255. Shares in Zs Pharma I (NASDAQ:ZSPH) rose to all time highs; gaining 28.42% or 16.54 to 74.73. Shares in Asia Pacific Wire & Cable Corp Ltd (NASDAQ:APWC) fell to 5-year lows; losing 19.43% or 0.340 to 1.410.
The CBOE Volatility Index, which measures the implied volatility of S&P 500 options, was down 5.03% to 24.91.
Gold for December delivery was up 0.70% or 7.70 to $1109.70 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in October rose 3.52% or 1.55 to hit $45.70 a barrel, while the October Brent oil contract rose 2.36% or 1.12 to trade at $48.70 a barrel.
EUR/USD was up 0.61% to 1.1276, while USD/JPY rose 0.12% to 120.66.
The US Dollar Index was down 0.44% at 95.53.