Investing.com – U.S. stocks were higher after the close on Thursday, as gains in the Telecoms, Utilities and Technology sectors led shares higher.
At the close in NYSE, the Dow Jones Industrial Average added 0.80%, while the S&P 500 index added 0.94%, and the NASDAQ Composite index climbed 0.89%.
The best performers of the session on the Dow Jones Industrial Average were Exxon Mobil Corp (NYSE:XOM), which rose 2.24% or 1.79 points to trade at 81.72 at the close. Meanwhile, UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH) added 1.96% or 4.50 points to end at 233.71 and Verizon Communications Inc (NYSE:VZ) was up 1.77% or 0.82 points to 47.20 in late trade.
The worst performers of the session were Nike Inc (NYSE:NKE), which fell 0.04% or 0.03 points to trade at 67.92 at the close. Chevron Corp (NYSE:CVX) added 0.08% or 0.10 points to end at 128.82 and Visa Inc (NYSE:V) was up 0.12% or 0.16 points to 131.00.
The top performers on the S&P 500 were CenturyLink Inc (NYSE:CTL) which rose 7.54% to 19.40, Discovery Communications C Inc (NASDAQ:DISCK) which was up 6.92% to settle at 22.57 and Discovery Inc Class A (NASDAQ:DISCA) which gained 6.91% to close at 23.82.
The worst performers were L Brands Inc (NYSE:LB) which was down 7.15% to 31.68 in late trade, TechnipFMC PLC (NYSE:FTI) which lost 5.55% to settle at 31.65 and Booking Holdings Inc (NASDAQ:BKNG) which was down 4.74% to 2080.02 at the close.
The top performers on the NASDAQ Composite were ARMO Biosciences Inc (NASDAQ:ARMO) which rose 67.00% to 49.80, Turtle Beach Corp (NASDAQ:HEAR) which was up 64.55% to settle at 11.420 and Cherokee Inc (NASDAQ:CHKE) which gained 28.77% to close at 0.94.
The worst performers were Amedica Corp (NASDAQ:AMDA) which was down 52.70% to 1.140 in late trade, Integrated Media Technology Ltd (NASDAQ:IMTE) which lost 32.85% to settle at 11.18 and Stellar Biotechnologies Inc (NASDAQ:SBOT) which was down 31.45% to 3.880 at the close.
Rising stocks outnumbered declining ones on the New York Stock Exchange by 2177 to 886 and 128 ended unchanged; on the Nasdaq Stock Exchange, 1498 rose and 1050 declined, while 112 ended unchanged.
Shares in L Brands Inc (NYSE:LB) fell to 5-year lows; falling 7.15% or 2.44 to 31.68. Shares in Visa Inc (NYSE:V) rose to all time highs; gaining 0.12% or 0.16 to 131.00. Shares in Turtle Beach Corp (NASDAQ:HEAR) rose to 3-years highs; rising 64.55% or 4.480 to 11.420. Shares in Stellar Biotechnologies Inc (NASDAQ:SBOT) fell to 52-week lows; down 31.45% or 1.780 to 3.880.
The CBOE Volatility Index, which measures the implied volatility of S&P 500 options, was down 1.86% to 13.17 a new 3-months low.
Gold Futures for June delivery was up 0.63% or 8.30 to $1321.30 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in June rose 0.35% or 0.25 to hit $71.39 a barrel, while the July Brent oil contract rose 0.30% or 0.23 to trade at $77.44 a barrel.
EUR/USD was up 0.60% to 1.1921, while USD/JPY fell 0.28% to 109.41.
The US Dollar Index Futures was down 0.42% at 92.56.