Investing.com – U.S. stocks were lower after the close on Thursday, as losses in the Consumer Services, Basic Materials and Technology sectors led shares lower.
At the close in NYSE, the Dow Jones Industrial Average declined 0.19%, while the S&P 500 index declined 0.36%, and the NASDAQ Composite index fell 0.61%.
The best performers of the session on the Dow Jones Industrial Average were Verizon Communications Inc (NYSE:VZ), which rose 1.26% or 0.67 points to trade at 53.64 at the close. Meanwhile, Chevron Corporation (NYSE:CVX) added 0.53% or 0.62 points to end at 118.53 and Exxon Mobil Corporation (NYSE:XOM) was up 0.40% or 0.36 points to 90.64 in late trade.
The worst performers of the session were Wal-Mart Stores Inc (NYSE:WMT), which fell 2.65% or 1.89 points to trade at 69.35 at the close. Home Depot Inc (NYSE:HD) declined 1.07% or 1.46 points to end at 135.37 and Apple Inc (NASDAQ:AAPL) was down 1.03% or 1.21 points to 115.85.
The top performers on the S&P 500 were Micron Technology Inc (NASDAQ:MU) which rose 12.76% to 23.20, Alexion Pharmaceuticals Inc (NASDAQ:ALXN) which was up 4.27% to settle at 124.07 and CF Industries Holdings Inc (NYSE:CF) which gained 4.01% to close at 30.06.
The worst performers were Red Hat Inc (NYSE:RHT) which was down 13.52% to 69.00 in late trade, Bed Bath & Beyond Inc (NASDAQ:BBBY) which lost 10.00% to settle at 41.01 and Nordstrom Inc (NYSE:JWN) which was down 6.07% to 48.10 at the close.
The top performers on the NASDAQ Composite were Metabolix Inc (NASDAQ:MBLX) which rose 38.68% to 0.388, Uranium Resources Inc (NASDAQ:URRE) which was up 28.05% to settle at 1.3958 and Tokai Pharmaceuticals Inc (NASDAQ:TKAI) which gained 20.79% to close at 1.22.
The worst performers were Ovascience Inc (NASDAQ:OVAS) which was down 54.02% to 1.37 in late trade, Aurinia Pharmaceuticals Inc (NASDAQ:AUPH) which lost 21.69% to settle at 2.130 and Real Goods Solar Inc (NASDAQ:RGSE) which was down 20.61% to 0.2778 at the close.
Falling stocks outnumbered advancing ones on the New York Stock Exchange by 1858 to 1285 and 88 ended unchanged; on the Nasdaq Stock Exchange, 1595 fell and 888 advanced, while 105 ended unchanged.
Shares in Micron Technology Inc (NASDAQ:MU) rose to 52-week highs; up 12.76% or 2.62 to 23.20. Shares in Chevron Corporation (NYSE:CVX) rose to 52-week highs; gaining 0.53% or 0.62 to 118.53. Shares in Ovascience Inc (NASDAQ:OVAS) fell to all time lows; losing 54.02% or 1.60 to 1.37.
The CBOE Volatility Index, which measures the implied volatility of S&P 500 options, was up 1.86% to 11.48.
Gold for February delivery was down 0.28% or 3.20 to $1130.00 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in February rose 0.67% or 0.35 to hit $52.84 a barrel, while the February Brent oil contract rose 0.99% or 0.54 to trade at $55.00 a barrel.
EUR/USD was up 0.09% to 1.0436, while USD/JPY fell 0.03% to 117.54.
The US Dollar Index was up 0.05% at 103.09.