U.S. stocks higher at close of trade; Dow Jones Industrial Average up 0.43%

© Reuters. U.S. stocks higher at close of trade; Dow Jones Industrial Average up 0.43%

Investing.com – U.S. stocks were higher after the close on Wednesday, as gains in the Utilities, Telecoms and Healthcare sectors led shares higher.

At the close in NYSE, the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 0.43% to hit a new 1-month high, while the S&P 500 index climbed 0.33%, and the NASDAQ Composite index gained 0.33%.

The best performers of the session on the Dow Jones Industrial Average were Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ), which rose 2.88% or 3.72 points to trade at 132.84 at the close. Meanwhile, McDonald’s Corporation (NYSE:MCD) added 2.22% or 4.27 points to end at 196.89 and Merck & Company Inc (NYSE:MRK) was up 1.32% or 1.12 points to 86.22 in late trade.

The worst performers of the session were Chevron Corp (NYSE:CVX), which fell 1.50% or 1.77 points to trade at 116.36 at the close. Exxon Mobil Corp (NYSE:XOM) declined 1.05% or 0.72 points to end at 67.72 and Dow Inc (NYSE:DOW) was down 0.89% or 0.46 points to 51.03.

The top performers on the S&P 500 were General Electric Company (NYSE:GE) which rose 11.47% to 10.11, Garmin Ltd (NASDAQ:GRMN) which was up 9.60% to settle at 96.35 and Centene Corp (NYSE:CNC) which gained 8.27% to close at 54.04.

The worst performers were CH Robinson Worldwide Inc (NASDAQ:CHRW) which was down 14.85% to 77.08 in late trade, McKesson Corporation (NYSE:MCK) which lost 8.44% to settle at 136.79 and Yum! Brands Inc (NYSE:YUM) which was down 5.81% to 103.34 at the close.

The top performers on the NASDAQ Composite were IVERIC bio Inc (NASDAQ:ISEE) which rose 65.58% to 3.56, Big 5 Sporting Goods Corporation (NASDAQ:BGFV) which was up 44.81% to settle at 3.49 and Neuralstem Inc (NASDAQ:CUR) which gained 39.69% to close at 1.8300.

The worst performers were Cyclerion Therapeutics Inc (NASDAQ:CYCN) which was down 79.52% to 2.75 in late trade, Diffusion Pharmaceuticals Inc (NASDAQ:DFFN) which lost 27.28% to settle at 0.6000 and Enphase Energy Inc (NASDAQ:ENPH) which was down 25.53% to 18.760 at the close.

Rising stocks outnumbered declining ones on the New York Stock Exchange by 1491 to 1360 and 106 ended unchanged; on the Nasdaq Stock Exchange, 1352 fell and 1258 advanced, while 100 ended unchanged.

Shares in CH Robinson Worldwide Inc (NASDAQ:CHRW) fell to 52-week lows; falling 14.85% or 13.44 to 77.08. Shares in Garmin Ltd (NASDAQ:GRMN) rose to 5-year highs; rising 9.60% or 8.44 to 96.35. Shares in IVERIC bio Inc (NASDAQ:ISEE) rose to 52-week highs; up 65.58% or 1.41 to 3.56. Shares in Cyclerion Therapeutics Inc (NASDAQ:CYCN) fell to all time lows; down 79.52% or 10.68 to 2.75. Shares in Diffusion Pharmaceuticals Inc (NASDAQ:DFFN) fell to all time lows; losing 27.28% or 0.2251 to 0.6000.

The CBOE Volatility Index, which measures the implied volatility of S&P 500 options, was down 6.59% to 12.33 a new 3-months low.

Gold Futures for December delivery was up 0.49% or 7.25 to $1497.95 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in December fell 0.94% or 0.52 to hit $55.02 a barrel, while the January Brent oil contract rose 0.02% or 0.01 to trade at $60.17 a barrel.

EUR/USD was up 0.02% to 1.1150, while USD/JPY rose 0.05% to 108.89.

The US Dollar Index Futures was down 0.22% at 97.255.