Investing.com – U.S. stocks were higher after the close on Friday, as gains in the Basic Materials, Consumer Goods and Oil & Gas sectors led shares higher.
At the close in NYSE, the Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 0.29%, while the S&P 500 index added 0.38%, and the NASDAQ Composite index added 0.48%.
The best performers of the session on the Dow Jones Industrial Average were Nike Inc (NYSE:NKE), which rose 3.13% or 4.40 points to trade at 145.03 at the close. Meanwhile, Cisco Systems Inc (NASDAQ:CSCO) added 1.82% or 0.86 points to end at 48.11 and Dow Inc (NYSE:DOW) was up 1.81% or 1.02 points to 57.36 in late trade.
The worst performers of the session were Boeing Co (NYSE:BA), which fell 1.50% or 3.17 points to trade at 207.47 at the close. UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH) declined 1.54% or 5.07 points to end at 324.25 and Intel Corporation (NASDAQ:INTC) was down 0.80% or 0.47 points to 58.32.
The top performers on the S&P 500 were Coty Inc (NYSE:COTY) which rose 10.30% to 7.60, Activision Blizzard Inc (NASDAQ:ATVI) which was up 10.02% to settle at 101.97 and Wynn Resorts Limited (NASDAQ:WYNN) which gained 7.74% to close at 117.10.
The worst performers were TechnipFMC PLC (NYSE:FTI) which was down 5.94% to 10.77 in late trade, Cabot Oil & Gas Corporation (NYSE:COG) which lost 5.56% to settle at 17.82 and Unum Group (NYSE:UNM) which was down 4.86% to 23.49 at the close.
The top performers on the NASDAQ Composite were Atlantic American Corporation (NASDAQ:AAME) which rose 168.20% to 6.410, BSQUARE Corporation (NASDAQ:BSQR) which was up 86.97% to settle at 3.552 and Ocugen, Inc (NASDAQ:OCGN) which gained 57.23% to close at 5.1100.
The worst performers were ATA Inc (NASDAQ:AACG) which was down 57.27% to 6.110 in late trade, Cassava Sciences Inc (NASDAQ:SAVA) which lost 23.87% to settle at 48.29 and Davidstea Inc (NASDAQ:DTEA) which was down 24.02% to 5.220 at the close.
Rising stocks outnumbered declining ones on the New York Stock Exchange by 2088 to 1013 and 81 ended unchanged; on the Nasdaq Stock Exchange, 1887 rose and 1194 declined, while 67 ended unchanged.
Shares in Activision Blizzard Inc (NASDAQ:ATVI) rose to all time highs; gaining 10.02% or 9.29 to 101.97. Shares in Atlantic American Corporation (NASDAQ:AAME) rose to 5-year highs; rising 168.20% or 4.020 to 6.410. Shares in BSQUARE Corporation (NASDAQ:BSQR) rose to 52-week highs; gaining 86.97% or 1.652 to 3.552. Shares in Ocugen, Inc (NASDAQ:OCGN) rose to 52-week highs; gaining 57.23% or 1.8600 to 5.1100.
The CBOE Volatility Index, which measures the implied volatility of S&P 500 options, was down 3.63% to 20.98 a new 1-month low.
Gold Futures for April delivery was up 1.16% or 20.75 to $1811.95 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in March rose 1.39% or 0.78 to hit $57.01 a barrel, while the April Brent oil contract rose 0.83% or 0.49 to trade at $59.49 a barrel.
EUR/USD was up 0.69% to 1.2045, while USD/JPY fell 0.12% to 105.41.
The US Dollar Index Futures was down 0.59% at 91.013.