Investing.com – U.S. stocks were higher after the close on Monday, as gains in the Healthcare, Consumer Services and Basic Materials sectors led shares higher.
At the close in NYSE, the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 0.39%, while the S&P 500 index added 0.52%, and the NASDAQ Composite index gained 0.86%.
The best performers of the session on the Dow Jones Industrial Average were UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH), which rose 2.31% or 2.80 points to trade at 123.82 at the close. Meanwhile, Walt Disney Company (NYSE:DIS) added 1.76% or 1.89 points to end at 109.05 and McDonald`s Corporation (NYSE:MCD) was up 1.40% or 1.39 points to 100.66 in late trade.
The worst performers of the session were Chevron Corporation (NYSE:CVX), which fell 1.99% or 1.69 points to trade at 83.23 at the close. Cisco Systems Inc (NASDAQ:CSCO) declined 0.71% or 0.20 points to end at 28.82 and Wal-Mart Stores Inc (NYSE:WMT) was down 0.65% or 0.47 points to 71.91.
The top performers on the S&P 500 were Williams Companies Inc (NYSE:WMB) which rose 5.11% to 54.90, Discovery Communications Inc (NASDAQ:DISCA) which was up 3.57% to settle at 29.32 and Avago Technologies Ltd (NASDAQ:AVGO) which gained 2.92% to close at 125.52.
The worst performers were Estee Lauder Companies Inc (NYSE:EL) which was down 6.78% to 82.80 in late trade, Chevron Corporation (NYSE:CVX) which lost 1.99% to settle at 83.23 and Newfield Exploration Company (NYSE:NFX) which was down 1.96% to 35.48 at the close.
The top performers on the NASDAQ Composite were Zulily Inc A (NASDAQ:ZU) which rose 49.09% to 18.74, AVEO Pharmaceuticals Inc (NASDAQ:AVEO) which was up 45.30% to settle at 1.70 and Looksmart Ltd (NASDAQ:LOOK) which gained 26.16% to close at 0.735.
The worst performers were Spanish Broadcasting System Inc (NASDAQ:SBSA) which was down 27.13% to 4.70 in late trade, Ascent Solar Technologies Inc (NASDAQ:ASTI) which lost 20.88% to settle at 0.170 and AEterna Zentaris Inc (NASDAQ:AEZS) which was down 20.63% to 0.115 at the close.
Rising stocks outnumbered declining ones on the New York Stock Exchange by 1612 to 852 and 3 ended unchanged; on the Nasdaq Stock Exchange, 1574 rose and 985 declined, while 9 ended unchanged.
Shares in Chevron Corporation (NYSE:CVX) fell to 3-years lows; down 1.99% or 1.69 to 83.23. Shares in Chevron Corporation (NYSE:CVX) fell to 3-years lows; down 1.99% or 1.69 to 83.23. Shares in Ascent Solar Technologies Inc (NASDAQ:ASTI) fell to all time lows; down 20.88% or 0.045 to 0.170. Shares in AEterna Zentaris Inc (NASDAQ:AEZS) fell to all time lows; losing 20.63% or 0.030 to 0.115.
The CBOE Volatility Index, which measures the implied volatility of S&P 500 options, was up 1.48% to 13.02.
Gold for December delivery was down 0.04% or 0.40 to $1116.60 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in October unchanged 0.00% or 0.00 to hit $42.38 a barrel, while the October Brent oil contract fell 0.02% or 0.01 to trade at $48.63 a barrel.
EUR/USD was down 0.29% to 1.1078, while USD/JPY rose 0.11% to 124.42.
The US Dollar Index was up 0.24% at 96.83.