Investing.com – U.S. stocks were higher after the close on Wednesday, as gains in the Utilities, Industrials and Healthcare sectors led shares higher.
At the close in NYSE, the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 0.11%, while the S&P 500 index gained 0.08%, and the NASDAQ Composite index climbed 0.04%.
The best performers of the session on the Dow Jones Industrial Average were Visa Inc (NYSE:V), which rose 0.91% or 1.03 points to trade at 114.02 at the close. Meanwhile, McDonald’s Corporation (NYSE:MCD) added 0.81% or 1.38 points to end at 172.67 and Caterpillar Inc (NYSE:CAT) was up 0.69% or 1.08 points to 157.52 in late trade.
The worst performers of the session were Nike Inc (NYSE:NKE), which fell 1.10% or 0.70 points to trade at 62.95 at the close. Goldman Sachs Group Inc (NYSE:GS) declined 0.69% or 1.77 points to end at 255.95 and Walt Disney Company (NYSE:DIS) was down 0.44% or 0.48 points to 107.64.
The top performers on the S&P 500 were Envision Healthcare Corp (NYSE:EVHC) which rose 2.43% to 34.56, Marriott International Inc (NASDAQ:MAR) which was up 2.21% to settle at 136.25 and Qorvo Inc (NASDAQ:QRVO) which gained 2.06% to close at 67.26.
The worst performers were Macy’s Inc (NYSE:M) which was down 4.51% to 25.64 in late trade, Chesapeake Energy Corporation (NYSE:CHK) which lost 3.00% to settle at 3.880 and Viacom B Inc (NASDAQ:VIAB) which was down 2.79% to 30.98 at the close.
The top performers on the NASDAQ Composite were Energous Co (NASDAQ:WATT) which rose 168.10% to 23.70, Real Goods Solar Inc (NASDAQ:RGSE) which was up 33.82% to settle at 1.8200 and KBS Fashion Group Ltd (NASDAQ:KBSF) which gained 28.92% to close at 4.1900.
The worst performers were AirMedia Group Inc (NASDAQ:AMCN) which was down 21.05% to 1.35 in late trade, NXT-ID Inc (NASDAQ:NXTD) which lost 18.74% to settle at 3.8600 and ReTo Eco-Solutions Inc (NASDAQ:RETO) which was down 17.92% to 7.010 at the close.
Rising stocks outnumbered declining ones on the New York Stock Exchange by 1695 to 1363 and 159 ended unchanged; on the Nasdaq Stock Exchange, 1284 fell and 1224 advanced, while 137 ended unchanged.
Shares in Marriott International Inc (NASDAQ:MAR) rose to all time highs; up 2.21% or 2.95 to 136.25. Shares in Visa Inc (NYSE:V) rose to all time highs; rising 0.91% or 1.03 to 114.02. Shares in Caterpillar Inc (NYSE:CAT) rose to all time highs; rising 0.69% or 1.08 to 157.52. Shares in Energous Co (NASDAQ:WATT) rose to all time highs; up 168.10% or 14.86 to 23.70. Shares in AirMedia Group Inc (NASDAQ:AMCN) fell to all time lows; down 21.05% or 0.36 to 1.35. Shares in ReTo Eco-Solutions Inc (NASDAQ:RETO) fell to all time lows; losing 17.92% or 1.530 to 7.010.
The CBOE Volatility Index, which measures the implied volatility of S&P 500 options, was up 1.37% to 10.39.
Gold Futures for February delivery was up 0.37% or 4.80 to $1292.30 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in February fell 0.58% or 0.35 to hit $59.62 a barrel, while the March Brent oil contract fell 0.86% or 0.57 to trade at $65.89 a barrel.
EUR/USD was up 0.30% to 1.1893, while USD/JPY rose 0.07% to 113.31.
The US Dollar Index Futures was down 0.23% at 92.63.