Investing.com – U.S. stocks were mixed after the close on Tuesday, as gains in the Oil & Gas, Basic Materials and Technology sectors led shares higher while losses in the Healthcare, Consumer Services and Utilities sectors led shares lower.
At the close in NYSE, the Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 0.08% to hit a new 1-month high, while the S&P 500 index lost 0.36%, and the NASDAQ Composite index fell 0.69%.
The best performers of the session on the Dow Jones Industrial Average were EI du Pont de Nemours and Company (NYSE:DD), which rose 7.66% or 3.93 points to trade at 55.21 at the close. Meanwhile, Chevron Corporation (NYSE:CVX) added 3.52% or 2.96 points to end at 86.99 and Caterpillar Inc (NYSE:CAT) was up 2.37% or 1.64 points to 70.82 in late trade.
The worst performers of the session were UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH), which fell 3.01% or 3.60 points to trade at 116.05 at the close. Merck & Company Inc (NYSE:MRK) declined 2.79% or 1.43 points to end at 49.80 and Pfizer Inc (NYSE:PFE) was down 2.06% or 0.69 points to 32.79.
The top performers on the S&P 500 were Helmerich & Payne Inc (NYSE:HP) which rose 8.42% to 56.17, EI du Pont de Nemours and Company (NYSE:DD) which was up 7.66% to settle at 55.21 and Transocean Ltd (NYSE:RIG) which gained 7.22% to close at 15.75.
The worst performers were American Airlines Group (NASDAQ:AAL) which was down 5.13% to 38.13 in late trade, United Continental Holdings Inc (NYSE:UAL) which lost 4.78% to settle at 50.78 and Endo International PLC (NASDAQ:ENDP) which was down 4.73% to 64.10 at the close.
The top performers on the NASDAQ Composite were GTx Inc (NASDAQ:GTXI) which rose 37.79% to 1.130, PMC - Sierra Inc (NASDAQ:PMCS) which was up 33.16% to settle at 10.24 and Vringo (NASDAQ:VRNG) which gained 30.84% to close at 0.420.
The worst performers were EXACT Sciences Corporation (NASDAQ:EXAS) which was down 46.14% to 9.98 in late trade, Dex Media Inc (NASDAQ:DXM) which lost 34.80% to settle at 0.16 and Tantech Holdings Ltd (NASDAQ:TANH) which was down 22.55% to 7.42 at the close.
Falling stocks outnumbered advancing ones on the New York Stock Exchange by 1272 to 1258 and 3 ended unchanged; on the Nasdaq Stock Exchange, 1444 fell and 1097 advanced, while 56 ended unchanged.
Shares in EXACT Sciences Corporation (NASDAQ:EXAS) fell to 52-week lows; losing 46.14% or 8.55 to 9.98. Shares in PMC - Sierra Inc (NASDAQ:PMCS) rose to 5-year highs; rising 33.16% or 2.55 to 10.24.
The CBOE Volatility Index, which measures the implied volatility of S&P 500 options, was down 0.46% to 19.45 a new 1-month low.
Gold for December delivery was up 0.79% or 9.00 to $1146.60 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in November rose 5.21% or 2.41 to hit $48.67 a barrel, while the November Brent oil contract rose 5.57% or 2.75 to trade at $51.99 a barrel.
EUR/USD was up 0.78% to 1.1275, while USD/JPY fell 0.21% to 120.21.
The US Dollar Index was down 0.72% at 95.53.