Investing.com – U.S. stocks were higher after the close on Wednesday, as gains in the Technology, Financials and Oil & Gas sectors led shares higher.
At the close in New York, the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 1.33%, while the S&P 500 index gained 1.20%, and the NASDAQ Composite index gained 1.25%.
The best performers of the session on the Dow Jones Industrial Average were Visa Inc (NYSE:V), which rose 2.47% or 1.68 points to trade at 69.63 at the close. Meanwhile, Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) added 2.10% or 0.96 points to end at 46.61 and Caterpillar Inc (NYSE:CAT) was up 2.02% or 1.75 points to 88.48 in late trade.
The worst performers of the session were Verizon Communications Inc (NYSE:VZ), which rose 0.27% or 0.13 points to trade at 47.47 at the close. Coca-Cola Company (NYSE:KO) added 0.32% or 0.13 points to end at 40.33 and McDonald`s Corporation (NYSE:MCD) was up 0.60% or 0.57 points to 95.30.
The top performers on the S&P 500 were Alexion Pharmaceuticals Inc (NASDAQ:ALXN) which rose 6.82% to 169.88, Johnson Controls Inc (NYSE:JCI) which was up 3.94% to settle at 53.59 and National Oilwell Varco Inc (NYSE:NOV) which gained 3.71% to close at 49.20.
The worst performers were H&R Block Inc (NYSE:HRB) which was down 5.19% to 30.30 in late trade, Newmont Mining Corporation (NYSE:NEM) which lost 2.91% to settle at 23.70 and Range Resources Corporation (NYSE:RRC) which was down 2.65% to 52.93 at the close.
The top performers on the NASDAQ Composite were China Shengda Packaging Group Inc (NASDAQ:CPGI) which rose 40.77% to 6.940, Andatee China Marine Fuel Services (NASDAQ:AMCF) which was up 35.10% to settle at 0.600 and Opexa Therapeutics Inc (NASDAQ:OPXA) which gained 24.97% to close at 0.600.
The worst performers were Globeimmune (NASDAQ:GBIM) which was down 23.76% to 2.92 in late trade, Boulder Brands, Inc. (NASDAQ:BDBD) which lost 22.18% to settle at 6.91 and Rock Creek Pharmaceuticals Inc (NASDAQ:RCPI) which was down 20.28% to 2.830 at the close.
Rising stocks outnumbered declining ones on the New York Stock Exchange by 2548 to 585 and 3 ended unchanged; on the Nasdaq Stock Exchange, 2079 rose and 724 declined, while 2 ended unchanged.
Shares in Johnson Controls Inc (NYSE:JCI) rose to all time highs; up 3.94% or 2.03 to 53.59. Shares in China Shengda Packaging Group Inc (NASDAQ:CPGI) rose to 3-years highs; rising 40.77% or 2.010 to 6.940. Shares in Globeimmune (NASDAQ:GBIM) fell to all time lows; falling 23.76% or 0.91 to 2.92. Shares in Boulder Brands, Inc. (NASDAQ:BDBD) fell to 3-years lows; losing 22.18% or 1.97 to 6.91.
The CBOE Volatility Index, which measures the implied volatility of S&P 500 options, was down 7.12% to 13.44.
Gold for August delivery was up 0.65% or 7.60 to $1185.20 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in July rose 1.69% or 1.01 to hit $61.16 a barrel, while the July Brent oil contract rose 1.12% or 0.72 to trade at $65.61 a barrel.
EUR/USD was up 0.43% to 1.1328, while USD/JPY fell 1.36% to 122.66.
The US Dollar Index was down 0.61% at 94.59.