Investing.com – U.S. stocks were higher after the close on Wednesday, as gains in the Utilities, Consumer Goods and Healthcare sectors led shares higher.
At the close in NYSE, the Dow Jones Industrial Average added 0.09% to hit a new all time high, while the S&P 500 index added 0.12%, and the NASDAQ Composite index climbed 0.04%.
The best performers of the session on the Dow Jones Industrial Average were Nike Inc (NYSE:NKE), which rose 1.19% or 0.61 points to trade at 52.08 at the close. Meanwhile, Caterpillar Inc (NYSE:CAT) added 0.98% or 1.23 points to end at 126.74 and UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH) was up 0.93% or 1.85 points to 200.48 in late trade.
The worst performers of the session were General Electric Company (NYSE:GE), which fell 1.29% or 0.32 points to trade at 24.48 at the close. JPMorgan Chase & Co (NYSE:JPM) declined 1.02% or 0.99 points to end at 96.36 and Apple Inc (NASDAQ:AAPL) was down 0.67% or 1.03 points to 153.45.
The top performers on the S&P 500 were Mylan Inc (NASDAQ:MYL) which rose 16.20% to 37.80, Acuity Brands Inc (NYSE:AYI) which was up 5.11% to settle at 178.33 and TripAdvisor Inc (NASDAQ:TRIP) which gained 3.73% to close at 43.40.
The worst performers were Republic Services Inc (NYSE:RSG) which was down 4.87% to 63.31 in late trade, Advance Auto Parts Inc (NYSE:AAP) which lost 4.09% to settle at 94.93 and Waste Management Inc (NYSE:WM) which was down 3.72% to 76.33 at the close.
The top performers on the NASDAQ Composite were Real Goods Solar Inc (NASDAQ:RGSE) which rose 189.02% to 2.3700, Yulong Eco-Materials Ltd (NASDAQ:YECO) which was up 97.44% to settle at 0.770 and Streamline Health Solutions Inc (NASDAQ:STRM) which gained 75.82% to close at 2.690.
The worst performers were root9B Holdings Inc (NASDAQ:RTNB) which was down 39.88% to 1.2054 in late trade, Celsion Corp (NASDAQ:CLSN) which lost 37.29% to settle at 3.800 and Net Element Inc (NASDAQ:NETE) which was down 28.40% to 0.6300 at the close.
Falling stocks outnumbered advancing ones on the New York Stock Exchange by 1572 to 1471 and 175 ended unchanged; on the Nasdaq Stock Exchange, 1295 fell and 1190 advanced, while 156 ended unchanged.
Shares in Caterpillar Inc (NYSE:CAT) rose to all time highs; gaining 0.98% or 1.23 to 126.74. Shares in UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH) rose to all time highs; gaining 0.93% or 1.85 to 200.48.
The CBOE Volatility Index, which measures the implied volatility of S&P 500 options, was up 1.79% to 9.68.
Gold Futures for December delivery was down 0.02% or 0.26 to $1277.64 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in November fell 1.07% or 0.54 to hit $49.88 a barrel, while the December Brent oil contract fell 0.46% or 0.26 to trade at $55.74 a barrel.
EUR/USD was up 0.18% to 1.1765, while USD/JPY fell 0.10% to 112.74.
The US Dollar Index Futures was down 0.15% at 93.28.