Investing.com – U.S. stocks were higher after the close on Wednesday, as gains in the Basic Materials, Technology and Consumer Services sectors led shares higher.
At the close in NYSE, the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 0.47% to hit a new 3-months high, while the S&P 500 index climbed 0.44%, and the NASDAQ Composite index added 0.47%.
The best performers of the session on the Dow Jones Industrial Average were Visa Inc (NYSE:V), which rose 1.86% or 1.40 points to trade at 76.78 at the close. Meanwhile, Apple Inc (NASDAQ:AAPL) added 1.75% or 1.88 points to end at 109.56 and McDonald`s Corporation (NYSE:MCD) was up 1.50% or 1.86 points to 125.83 in late trade.
The worst performers of the session were Boeing Company (NYSE:BA), which fell 1.76% or 2.30 points to trade at 128.58 at the close. International Business Machines (NYSE:IBM) declined 0.62% or 0.92 points to end at 148.41 and American Express Company (NYSE:AXP) was down 0.51% or 0.31 points to 60.29.
The top performers on the S&P 500 were Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd (NYSE:RCL) which rose 5.68% to 80.35, Carnival Corporation (NYSE:CCL) which was up 5.50% to settle at 52.37 and MetLife Inc (NYSE:MET) which gained 5.35% to close at 44.73.
The worst performers were Southwestern Energy Company (NYSE:SWN) which was down 3.75% to 7.70 in late trade, Tesoro Corporation (NYSE:TSO) which lost 3.62% to settle at 86.47 and Western Digital Corporation (NASDAQ:WDC) which was down 3.51% to 46.14 at the close.
The top performers on the NASDAQ Composite were DragonWave Inc (NASDAQ:DRWI) which rose 38.93% to 3.3900, Staffing 360 Solutions Inc (NASDAQ:STAF) which was up 31.87% to settle at 3.376 and Transition Therapeutics Inc (NASDAQ:TTHI) which gained 26.04% to close at 1.2100.
The worst performers were Quantum Fuel Systems Inc (NASDAQ:QTWW) which was down 38.28% to 0.1611 in late trade, Sky Solar Holdings Adr Rep 8 (NASDAQ:SKYS) which lost 35.26% to settle at 1.23 and NF Energy Saving Corporation (NASDAQ:NFEC) which was down 31.73% to 0.7100 at the close.
Rising stocks outnumbered declining ones on the New York Stock Exchange by 2089 to 1238 and 43 ended unchanged; on the Nasdaq Stock Exchange, 1549 rose and 1035 declined, while 70 ended unchanged.
Shares in McDonald`s Corporation (NYSE:MCD) rose to all time highs; rising 1.50% or 1.86 to 125.83. Shares in Sky Solar Holdings Adr Rep 8 (NASDAQ:SKYS) fell to all time lows; falling 35.26% or 0.67 to 1.23.
The CBOE Volatility Index, which measures the implied volatility of S&P 500 options, was down 1.81% to 13.57 a new 6-months low.
Gold for June delivery was down 0.82% or 10.10 to $1227.40 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in May fell 0.03% or 0.01 to hit $38.27 a barrel, while the June Brent oil contract rose 0.33% or 0.13 to trade at $39.98 a barrel.
EUR/USD was up 0.35% to 1.1334, while USD/JPY fell 0.22% to 112.45.
The US Dollar Index was down 0.37% at 94.82.