Investing.com – U.S. stocks were higher after the close on Friday, as gains in the Healthcare, Technology and Consumer Services sectors led shares higher.
At the close in NYSE, the Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 0.02% to hit a new all time high, while the S&P 500 index added 0.26%, and the NASDAQ Composite index added 0.48%.
The best performers of the session on the Dow Jones Industrial Average were Walt Disney Company (NYSE:DIS), which rose 3.76% or 5.00 points to trade at 137.96 at the close. Meanwhile, Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ) added 1.19% or 1.57 points to end at 133.00 and Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) was up 1.18% or 1.70 points to 145.96 in late trade.
The worst performers of the session were Verizon Communications Inc (NYSE:VZ), which fell 1.95% or 1.18 points to trade at 59.35 at the close. Exxon Mobil Corp (NYSE:XOM) declined 1.90% or 1.37 points to end at 70.77 and Boeing Co (NYSE:BA) was down 1.77% or 6.31 points to 351.00.
The top performers on the S&P 500 were Nektar Therapeutics (NASDAQ:NKTR) which rose 7.17% to 20.04, Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc (NASDAQ:REGN) which was up 4.72% to settle at 341.79 and Qualcomm Incorporated (NASDAQ:QCOM) which gained 4.50% to close at 94.03.
The worst performers were Gap Inc (NYSE:GPS) which was down 7.64% to 16.68 in late trade, Albemarle Corp (NYSE:ALB) which lost 4.78% to settle at 67.98 and News Corp B (NASDAQ:NWS) which was down 4.06% to 13.23 at the close.
The top performers on the NASDAQ Composite were Micronet Enertec Technologies Inc (NASDAQ:MICT) which rose 54.32% to 1.000, Clovis Oncology Inc (NASDAQ:CLVS) which was up 36.11% to settle at 5.88 and Truecar Inc (NASDAQ:TRUE) which gained 30.96% to close at 4.78.
The worst performers were AnaptysBio Inc (NASDAQ:ANAB) which was down 71.85% to 10.18 in late trade, Waitr Holdings Inc (NASDAQ:WTRH) which lost 38.18% to settle at 0.28 and Therapix Biosciences Ltd (NASDAQ:TRPX) which was down 28.16% to 1.76 at the close.
Rising stocks outnumbered declining ones on the New York Stock Exchange by 1455 to 1397 and 95 ended unchanged; on the Nasdaq Stock Exchange, 1433 rose and 1202 declined, while 99 ended unchanged.
Shares in Qualcomm Incorporated (NASDAQ:QCOM) rose to all time highs; rising 4.50% or 4.05 to 94.03. Shares in Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) rose to all time highs; gaining 1.18% or 1.70 to 145.96. Shares in AnaptysBio Inc (NASDAQ:ANAB) fell to all time lows; down 71.85% or 25.98 to 10.18. Shares in Waitr Holdings Inc (NASDAQ:WTRH) fell to all time lows; losing 38.18% or 0.17 to 0.28. Shares in Therapix Biosciences Ltd (NASDAQ:TRPX) fell to all time lows; falling 28.16% or 0.69 to 1.76.
The CBOE Volatility Index, which measures the implied volatility of S&P 500 options, was down 5.18% to 12.07 a new 6-months low.
Gold Futures for December delivery was down 0.46% or 6.80 to $1459.60 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in December rose 0.51% or 0.29 to hit $57.44 a barrel, while the January Brent oil contract rose 0.51% or 0.32 to trade at $62.61 a barrel.
EUR/USD was down 0.27% to 1.1019, while USD/JPY rose 0.01% to 109.28.
The US Dollar Index Futures was up 0.23% at 98.218.