Investing.com – U.S. stocks were higher after the close on Friday, as gains in the Healthcare, Consumer Goods and Consumer Services sectors led shares higher.
At the close in New York, the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 0.19%, while the S&P 500 index gained 0.24%, and the NASDAQ Composite index added 0.57%.
The best performers of the session on the Dow Jones Industrial Average were Intel Corporation (NASDAQ:INTC), which rose 6.38% or 1.92 points to trade at 32.00 at the close. Meanwhile, UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH) added 1.51% or 1.76 points to end at 118.01 and Home Depot Inc (NYSE:HD) was up 1.33% or 1.49 points to 113.86 in late trade.
The worst performers of the session were Chevron Corporation (NYSE:CVX), which fell 0.92% or 0.97 points to trade at 104.28 at the close. Exxon Mobil Corporation (NYSE:XOM) declined 0.88% or 0.74 points to end at 83.58 and Apple Inc (NASDAQ:AAPL) was down 0.80% or 0.99 points to 123.25.
The top performers on the S&P 500 were Altera Corporation (NASDAQ:ALTR) which rose 28.45% to 44.41, Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd (NYSE:RCL) which was up 6.47% to settle at 79.85 and Intel Corporation (NASDAQ:INTC) which gained 6.38% to close at 32.00.
The worst performers were Transocean Ltd (NYSE:RIG) which was down 5.48% to 14.49 in late trade, Freeport-McMoran Copper & Gold Inc (NYSE:FCX) which lost 3.59% to settle at 18.80 and QEP Resources Inc (NYSE:QEP) which was down 2.81% to 21.07 at the close.
The top performers on the NASDAQ Composite were Great Basin Scientific Inc (NASDAQ:GBSN) which rose 40.72% to 2.73, Euro Tech Holdings Company Limited (NASDAQ:CLWT) which was up 30.37% to settle at 3.520 and Altera Corporation (NASDAQ:ALTR) which gained 28.45% to close at 44.41.
The worst performers were Ohr Pharmaceuticals Inc (NASDAQ:OHRP) which was down 68.61% to 2.74 in late trade, Interphase Corporation (NASDAQ:INPH) which lost 22.32% to settle at 1.74 and Axion Power International Inc (NASDAQ:AXPW) which was down 21.83% to 0.035 at the close.
Rising stocks outnumbered declining ones on the New York Stock Exchange by 1655 to 1157 and 1 ended unchanged; on the Nasdaq Stock Exchange, 1660 rose and 1122 declined, while 8 ended unchanged.
Shares in Altera Corporation (NASDAQ:ALTR) rose to 3-year highs; gaining 28.45% or 9.83 to 44.41. Shares in Exxon Mobil Corporation (NYSE:XOM) fell to 52-week lows; falling 0.88% or 0.74 to 83.58. Shares in Ohr Pharmaceuticals Inc (NASDAQ:OHRP) fell to 52-week lows; down 68.61% or 5.99 to 2.74. Shares in Interphase Corporation (NASDAQ:INPH) fell to 3-year lows; falling 22.32% or 0.50 to 1.74. Shares in Altera Corporation (NASDAQ:ALTR) rose to 3-year highs; rising 28.45% or 9.83 to 44.41. Shares in Axion Power International Inc (NASDAQ:AXPW) fell to all time lows; down 21.83% or 0.010 to 0.035.
The CBOE Volatility Index, which measures the implied volatility of S&P 500 options, was down 4.37% to 15.11.
Gold for April delivery was down 0.65% or 7.80 to $1197.00 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in May fell 5.98% or 3.08 to hit $48.35 a barrel, while the May Brent oil contract fell 5.21% or 3.08 to trade at $56.10 a barrel.
EUR/USD was up 0.13% to 1.0898, while USD/JPY fell 0.01% to 119.17.
The US Dollar Index was up 0.02% at 97.56.