Investing.com – U.S. stocks were higher after the close on Wednesday, as gains in the Technology, Basic Materials and Industrials sectors led shares higher.
At the close in NYSE, the Dow Jones Industrial Average added 0.97%, while the S&P 500 index added 1.09%, and the NASDAQ Composite index added 2.01%.
The best performers of the session on the Dow Jones Industrial Average were Visa Inc (NYSE:V), which rose 3.83% or 5.09 points to trade at 137.85 at the close. Meanwhile, Caterpillar Inc (NYSE:CAT) added 3.29% or 3.86 points to end at 121.32 and Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) was up 2.97% or 3.08 points to 106.81 in late trade.
The worst performers of the session were Walmart Inc (NYSE:WMT), which fell 2.09% or 2.14 points to trade at 100.28 at the close. Verizon Communications Inc (NYSE:VZ) declined 1.87% or 1.09 points to end at 57.09 and Intel Corporation (NASDAQ:INTC) was down 1.84% or 0.88 points to 46.88.
The top performers on the S&P 500 were Molson Coors Brewing Co Class B (NYSE:TAP) which rose 9.95% to 64.00, General Motors Company (NYSE:GM) which was up 9.09% to settle at 36.59 and Chesapeake Energy Corporation (NYSE:CHK) which gained 7.34% to close at 3.510.
The worst performers were Baxter International Inc (NYSE:BAX) which was down 8.96% to 62.51 in late trade, Kellogg Company (NYSE:K) which lost 8.88% to settle at 65.48 and IPG Photonics Corporation (NASDAQ:IPGP) which was down 5.82% to 133.55 at the close.
The top performers on the NASDAQ Composite were Intersections Inc (NASDAQ:INTX) which rose 102.29% to 3.540, AEterna Zentaris Inc (NASDAQ:AEZS) which was up 67.69% to settle at 2.180 and Strongbridge Biopharma plc (NASDAQ:SBBP) which gained 58.02% to close at 6.4000.
The worst performers were Spartan Motors Inc (NASDAQ:SPAR) which was down 40.02% to 6.73 in late trade, Clovis Oncology Inc (NASDAQ:CLVS) which lost 29.98% to settle at 11.63 and Nextgen Healthcare Inc (NASDAQ:NXGN) which was down 24.68% to 14.77 at the close.
Rising stocks outnumbered declining ones on the New York Stock Exchange by 1841 to 1238 and 78 ended unchanged; on the Nasdaq Stock Exchange, 1602 rose and 1061 declined, while 76 ended unchanged.
Shares in Baxter International Inc (NYSE:BAX) fell to 52-week lows; down 8.96% or 6.16 to 62.51. Shares in Intersections Inc (NASDAQ:INTX) rose to 52-week highs; gaining 102.29% or 1.790 to 3.540. Shares in Spartan Motors Inc (NASDAQ:SPAR) fell to 52-week lows; falling 40.02% or 4.49 to 6.73. Shares in Clovis Oncology Inc (NASDAQ:CLVS) fell to 52-week lows; losing 29.98% or 4.98 to 11.63.
The CBOE Volatility Index, which measures the implied volatility of S&P 500 options, was down 9.08% to 21.23.
Gold Futures for December delivery was down 0.43% or 5.20 to $1217.40 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in December fell 1.96% or 1.30 to hit $64.88 a barrel, while the January Brent oil contract fell 1.66% or 1.26 to trade at $74.65 a barrel.
EUR/USD was down 0.22% to 1.1319, while USD/JPY fell 0.19% to 112.90.
The US Dollar Index Futures was up 0.06% at 96.85.