Investing.com – U.S. stocks were lower after the close on Friday, as losses in the Healthcare, Oil & Gas and Technology sectors led shares lower.
At the close in NYSE, the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 2.02% to hit a new 6-months low, while the S&P 500 index fell 1.91%, and the NASDAQ Composite index fell 2.26%.
The best performers of the session on the Dow Jones Industrial Average were Caterpillar Inc (NYSE:CAT), which rose 0.69% or 0.87 points to trade at 126.77 at the close. Meanwhile, Procter & Gamble Company (NYSE:PG) added 0.16% or 0.15 points to end at 96.64 and Verizon Communications Inc (NYSE:VZ) was down 0.02% or 0.01 points to 57.08 in late trade.
The worst performers of the session were Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ), which fell 10.04% or 14.84 points to trade at 133.00 at the close. Walgreens Boots Alliance Inc (NASDAQ:WBA) declined 4.35% or 3.58 points to end at 78.74 and Cisco Systems Inc (NASDAQ:CSCO) was down 3.48% or 1.65 points to 45.82.
The top performers on the S&P 500 were Scana Corporation (NYSE:SCG) which rose 6.30% to 50.98, Sealed Air Corporation (NYSE:SEE) which was up 4.75% to settle at 33.94 and Public Storage (NYSE:PSA) which gained 2.22% to close at 203.47.
The worst performers were Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ) which was down 10.04% to 133.00 in late trade, Chesapeake Energy Corporation (NYSE:CHK) which lost 9.69% to settle at 2.330 and Costco Wholesale Corporation (NASDAQ:COST) which was down 8.59% to 207.06 at the close.
The top performers on the NASDAQ Composite were Cancer Genetics Inc (NASDAQ:CGIX) which rose 50.00% to 0.555, Alliqua BioMedical Inc (NASDAQ:ALQA) which was up 26.29% to settle at 2.690 and Marin Software Inc (NASDAQ:MRIN) which gained 18.29% to close at 3.040.
The worst performers were Idera Pharmaceuticals Inc (NASDAQ:IDRA) which was down 39.70% to 3.980 in late trade, Synergy Pharmaceuticals Inc (NASDAQ:SGYP) which lost 38.56% to settle at 0.080 and Advaxis Inc (NASDAQ:ADXS) which was down 36.82% to 0.24 at the close.
Falling stocks outnumbered advancing ones on the New York Stock Exchange by 2378 to 685 and 91 ended unchanged; on the Nasdaq Stock Exchange, 1999 fell and 642 advanced, while 77 ended unchanged.
Shares in Scana Corporation (NYSE:SCG) rose to 52-week highs; up 6.30% or 3.02 to 50.98. Shares in Chesapeake Energy Corporation (NYSE:CHK) fell to 52-week lows; losing 9.69% or 0.250 to 2.330. Shares in Procter & Gamble Company (NYSE:PG) rose to all time highs; up 0.16% or 0.15 to 96.64. Shares in Idera Pharmaceuticals Inc (NASDAQ:IDRA) fell to 52-week lows; falling 39.70% or 2.620 to 3.980. Shares in Synergy Pharmaceuticals Inc (NASDAQ:SGYP) fell to all time lows; down 38.56% or 0.050 to 0.080. Shares in Advaxis Inc (NASDAQ:ADXS) fell to all time lows; falling 36.82% or 0.14 to 0.24.
The CBOE Volatility Index, which measures the implied volatility of S&P 500 options, was up 4.75% to 21.63.
Gold Futures for February delivery was down 0.43% or 5.40 to $1242.00 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in January fell 2.62% or 1.38 to hit $51.20 a barrel, while the February Brent oil contract fell 1.92% or 1.18 to trade at $60.27 a barrel.
EUR/USD was down 0.50% to 1.1304, while USD/JPY fell 0.20% to 113.39.
The US Dollar Index Futures was up 0.41% at 97.455.