Investing.com – U.S. stocks were higher after the close on Wednesday, as gains in the Utilities, Technology and Healthcare sectors led shares higher.
At the close in NYSE, the Dow Jones Industrial Average added 0.23%, while the S&P 500 index added 0.36%, and the NASDAQ Composite index climbed 0.35%.
The best performers of the session on the Dow Jones Industrial Average were UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH), which rose 1.99% or 10.05 points to trade at 515.29 at the close. Meanwhile, Cisco Systems Inc (NASDAQ:CSCO) added 1.74% or 0.73 points to end at 42.69 and The Travelers Companies Inc (NYSE:TRV) was up 1.61% or 2.70 points to 169.90 in late trade.
The worst performers of the session were Walgreens Boots Alliance Inc (NASDAQ:WBA), which fell 1.90% or 0.73 points to trade at 37.78 at the close. Chevron Corp (NYSE:CVX) declined 1.32% or 1.88 points to end at 140.78 and Goldman Sachs Group Inc (NYSE:GS) was down 1.16% or 3.44 points to 293.76.
The top performers on the S&P 500 were Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) which rose 3.77% to 481.87, L3Harris Technologies Inc (NYSE:LHX) which was up 3.74% to settle at 239.60 and WW Grainger Inc (NYSE:GWW) which gained 3.28% to close at 470.12.
The worst performers were Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd (NYSE:NCLH) which was down 9.55% to 11.27 in late trade, Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd (NYSE:RCL) which lost 7.19% to settle at 33.69 and Carnival Corporation (NYSE:CCL) which was down 6.82% to 8.74 at the close.
The top performers on the NASDAQ Composite were Inspira Technologies Oxy BHN Ltd (NASDAQ:IINN) which rose 76.61% to 2.19, Waitr Holdings Inc (NASDAQ:WTRH) which was up 73.24% to settle at 0.27 and Titan Pharmaceuticals Inc (NASDAQ:TTNP) which gained 48.76% to close at 0.90.
The worst performers were Kornit Digital Ltd (NASDAQ:KRNT) which was down 25.67% to 23.46 in late trade, Applied Molecular Transport Inc (NASDAQ:AMTI) which lost 25.64% to settle at 2.32 and Nuwellis Inc (NASDAQ:NUWE) which was down 23.33% to 0.69 at the close.
Falling stocks outnumbered advancing ones on the New York Stock Exchange by 1951 to 1201 and 124 ended unchanged; on the Nasdaq Stock Exchange, 2169 fell and 1631 advanced, while 197 ended unchanged.
Shares in Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd (NYSE:RCL) fell to 52-week lows; down 7.19% or 2.61 to 33.69. Shares in Walgreens Boots Alliance Inc (NASDAQ:WBA) fell to 52-week lows; losing 1.90% or 0.73 to 37.78. Shares in Kornit Digital Ltd (NASDAQ:KRNT) fell to 52-week lows; falling 25.67% or 8.10 to 23.46. Shares in Applied Molecular Transport Inc (NASDAQ:AMTI) fell to all time lows; losing 25.64% or 0.80 to 2.32.
The CBOE Volatility Index, which measures the implied volatility of S&P 500 options, was down 2.94% to 26.73.
Gold Futures for August delivery was down 1.48% or 26.10 to $1,737.80 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in August fell 1.09% or 1.08 to hit $98.42 a barrel, while the September Brent oil contract fell 2.37% or 2.44 to trade at $100.33 a barrel.
EUR/USD was down 0.81% to 1.02, while USD/JPY fell 0.00% to 135.87.
The US Dollar Index Futures was up 0.52% at 106.88.