Investing.com – U.S. stocks were higher after the close on Wednesday, as gains in the Healthcare, Financials and Basic Materials sectors led shares higher.
At the close in NYSE, the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 1.40% to hit a new 1-month high, while the S&P 500 index climbed 1.11%, and the NASDAQ Composite index gained 1.11%.
The best performers of the session on the Dow Jones Industrial Average were Caterpillar Inc (NYSE:CAT), which rose 7.70% or 6.52 points to trade at 91.20 at the close. Meanwhile, Pfizer Inc (NYSE:PFE) added 6.93% or 2.08 points to end at 32.08 and Merck & Company Inc (NYSE:MRK) was up 6.08% or 3.68 points to 64.19 in late trade.
The worst performers of the session were Procter & Gamble Company (NYSE:PG), which fell 1.84% or 1.61 points to trade at 85.85 at the close. Coca-Cola Company (NYSE:KO) declined 1.45% or 0.62 points to end at 42.26 and The Travelers Companies Inc (NYSE:TRV) was down 1.02% or 1.10 points to 106.91.
The top performers on the S&P 500 were Navient Cor (NASDAQ:NAVI) which rose 17.16% to 15.77, United Rentals Inc (NYSE:URI) which was up 17.15% to settle at 88.88 and Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc (NASDAQ:REGN) which gained 13.77% to close at 418.42.
The worst performers were Centene Corporation (NYSE:CNC) which was down 19.12% to 54.03 in late trade, TripAdvisor Inc (NASDAQ:TRIP) which lost 16.59% to settle at 52.63 and Kansas City Southern (NYSE:KSU) which was down 10.89% to 82.47 at the close.
The top performers on the NASDAQ Composite were Signal Genetics Inc (NASDAQ:SGNL) which rose 58.06% to 4.9000, Industrial Services of America Inc (NASDAQ:IDSA) which was up 33.33% to settle at 1.640 and Sucampo Pharmaceuticals Inc (NASDAQ:SCMP) which gained 33.04% to close at 15.10.
The worst performers were Erickson Air-Crane Inc (NASDAQ:EAC) which was down 57.05% to 0.189 in late trade, AgroFresh Solutions Inc (NASDAQ:AGFS) which lost 48.94% to settle at 2.400 and Arrowhead Pharmaceuticals Inc (NASDAQ:ARWR) which was down 31.26% to 4.20 at the close.
Rising stocks outnumbered declining ones on the New York Stock Exchange by 1799 to 1395 and 57 ended unchanged; on the Nasdaq Stock Exchange, 1900 rose and 622 declined, while 96 ended unchanged.
Shares in Navient Cor (NASDAQ:NAVI) rose to 52-week highs; gaining 17.16% or 2.31 to 15.77. Shares in United Rentals Inc (NYSE:URI) rose to 52-week highs; gaining 17.15% or 13.01 to 88.88. Shares in TripAdvisor Inc (NASDAQ:TRIP) fell to 3-years lows; losing 16.59% or 10.47 to 52.63. Shares in Caterpillar Inc (NYSE:CAT) rose to 52-week highs; up 7.70% or 6.52 to 91.20. Shares in Merck & Company Inc (NYSE:MRK) rose to 5-year highs; up 6.08% or 3.68 to 64.19. Shares in Erickson Air-Crane Inc (NASDAQ:EAC) fell to all time lows; falling 57.05% or 0.251 to 0.189. Shares in AgroFresh Solutions Inc (NASDAQ:AGFS) fell to all time lows; losing 48.94% or 2.300 to 2.400.
The CBOE Volatility Index, which measures the implied volatility of S&P 500 options, was down 22.52% to 14.52.
Gold for December delivery was up 0.20% or 2.50 to $1277.00 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in December rose 0.89% or 0.40 to hit $45.38 a barrel, while the January Brent oil contract rose 1.19% or 0.55 to trade at $46.59 a barrel.
EUR/USD was down 1.01% to 1.0915, while USD/JPY rose 0.62% to 105.82.
The US Dollar Index was up 0.75% at 98.61.