Investing.com – U.S. stocks were higher after the close on Wednesday, as gains in the Basic Materials, Financials and Consumer Services sectors led shares higher.
At the close in NYSE, the Dow Jones Industrial Average added 0.30%, while the S&P 500 index climbed 0.57%, and the NASDAQ Composite index climbed 0.88%.
The best performers of the session on the Dow Jones Industrial Average were Nike Inc (NYSE:NKE), which rose 2.10% or 1.09 points to trade at 53.07 at the close. Meanwhile, American Express Company (NYSE:AXP) added 1.64% or 1.23 points to end at 76.26 and Walt Disney Company (NYSE:DIS) was up 1.28% or 1.36 points to 107.44 in late trade.
The worst performers of the session were Exxon Mobil Corporation (NYSE:XOM), which fell 1.10% or 1.00 points to trade at 89.89 at the close. Cisco Systems Inc (NASDAQ:CSCO) declined 0.59% or 0.18 points to end at 30.10 and The Travelers Companies Inc (NYSE:TRV) was down 0.54% or 0.65 points to 120.25.
The top performers on the S&P 500 were Freeport-McMoran Copper & Gold Inc (NYSE:FCX) which rose 7.62% to 14.83, NRG Energy Inc (NYSE:NRG) which was up 5.93% to settle at 13.03 and General Motors Company (NYSE:GM) which gained 5.52% to close at 37.09.
The worst performers were Valero Energy Corporation (NYSE:VLO) which was down 3.59% to 67.89 in late trade, Tesoro Corporation (NYSE:TSO) which lost 3.44% to settle at 85.73 and Marathon Petroleum Corporation (NYSE:MPC) which was down 3.19% to 51.24 at the close.
The top performers on the NASDAQ Composite were Orexigen Therapeutics Inc (NASDAQ:OREX) which rose 64.25% to 3.400, Ignite Restaurant Group Inc (NASDAQ:IRG) which was up 46.19% to settle at 0.921 and COPsync Inc (NASDAQ:COYN) which gained 38.48% to close at 1.0400.
The worst performers were Agile Thrpe (NASDAQ:AGRX) which was down 47.40% to 2.63 in late trade, Acura Pharmaceuticals Inc (NASDAQ:ACUR) which lost 16.90% to settle at 0.698 and Social Reality Inc (NASDAQ:SRAX) which was down 15.96% to 5.1601 at the close.
Rising stocks outnumbered declining ones on the New York Stock Exchange by 2711 to 536 and 33 ended unchanged; on the Nasdaq Stock Exchange, 1942 rose and 610 declined, while 87 ended unchanged.
Shares in American Express Company (NYSE:AXP) rose to 52-week highs; rising 1.64% or 1.23 to 76.26. Shares in Walt Disney Company (NYSE:DIS) rose to 52-week highs; rising 1.28% or 1.36 to 107.44. Shares in Agile Thrpe (NASDAQ:AGRX) fell to all time lows; losing 47.40% or 2.37 to 2.63. Shares in Acura Pharmaceuticals Inc (NASDAQ:ACUR) fell to all time lows; down 16.90% or 0.142 to 0.698. Shares in Social Reality Inc (NASDAQ:SRAX) fell to 52-week lows; falling 15.96% or 0.9799 to 5.1601.
The CBOE Volatility Index, which measures the implied volatility of S&P 500 options, was down 7.78% to 11.85.
Gold for February delivery was up 0.24% or 2.80 to $1164.80 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in February rose 1.66% or 0.87 to hit $53.20 a barrel, while the March Brent oil contract rose 1.68% or 0.93 to trade at $56.40 a barrel.
EUR/USD was up 0.74% to 1.0483, while USD/JPY fell 0.35% to 117.34.
The US Dollar Index was down 0.66% at 102.56.