Investing.com – U.S. stocks were higher after the close on Friday, as gains in the Consumer Goods, Healthcare and Telecoms sectors led shares higher.
At the close in NYSE, the Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 0.43% to hit a new 1-month high, while the S&P 500 index gained 0.46%, and the NASDAQ Composite index added 0.34%.
The best performers of the session on the Dow Jones Industrial Average were General Electric Company (N:GE), which rose 3.39% or 0.95 points to trade at 28.98 at the close. Meanwhile, Merck & Company Inc (N:MRK) added 1.50% or 0.76 points to end at 51.48 and Nike Inc (N:NKE) was up 1.30% or 1.68 points to 130.47 in late trade.
The worst performers of the session were Caterpillar Inc (N:CAT), which fell 1.62% or 1.15 points to trade at 69.68 at the close. Wal-Mart Stores Inc (N:WMT) declined 0.74% or 0.44 points to end at 58.89 and Apple Inc (O:AAPL) was down 0.73% or 0.82 points to 111.04.
The top performers on the S&P 500 were Mattel Inc (O:MAT) which rose 6.04% to 23.89, Garmin Ltd (O:GRMN) which was up 5.61% to settle at 34.09 and Yum! Brands Inc (N:YUM) which gained 4.17% to close at 72.16.
The worst performers were Quanta Services Inc (N:PWR) which was down 28.50% to 18.74 in late trade, Kansas City Southern (N:KSU) which lost 10.85% to settle at 87.37 and Genworth Financial Inc (N:GNW) which was down 7.83% to 5.06 at the close.
The top performers on the NASDAQ Composite were China HGS Real Estate Inc (O:HGSH) which rose 37.35% to 2.280, QKL Stores Inc (O:QKLS) which was up 30.93% to settle at 1.270 and Neovasc Inc (O:NVCN) which gained 30.34% to close at 5.80.
The worst performers were Zafgen Inc (O:ZFGN) which was down 50.71% to 10.36 in late trade, Tantech Holdings Ltd (O:TANH) which lost 45.64% to settle at 4.55 and Northwest Biotherapeutics Inc (O:NWBO) which was down 29.34% to 4.190 at the close.
Rising stocks outnumbered declining ones on the New York Stock Exchange by 1320 to 1213 and 2 ended unchanged; on the Nasdaq Stock Exchange, 1323 fell and 1180 advanced, while 70 ended unchanged.
Shares in Quanta Services Inc (N:PWR) fell to 3-years lows; losing 28.50% or 7.47 to 18.74. Shares in General Electric Company (N:GE) rose to 5-year highs; up 3.39% or 0.95 to 28.98. Shares in Wal-Mart Stores Inc (N:WMT) fell to 3-years lows; falling 0.74% or 0.44 to 58.89. Shares in Nike Inc (N:NKE) rose to all time highs; up 1.30% or 1.68 to 130.47. Shares in Zafgen Inc (O:ZFGN) fell to all time lows; down 50.71% or 10.66 to 10.36. Shares in Tantech Holdings Ltd (O:TANH) fell to all time lows; falling 45.64% or 3.82 to 4.55. Shares in Northwest Biotherapeutics Inc (O:NWBO) fell to 52-week lows; down 29.34% or 1.740 to 4.190.
The CBOE Volatility Index, which measures the implied volatility of S&P 500 options, was down 5.11% to 15.23 a new 1-month low.
Gold for December delivery was down 0.99% or 11.80 to $1175.70 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in November rose 1.84% or 0.85 to hit $47.23 a barrel, while the December Brent oil contract rose 1.44% or 0.71 to trade at $50.45 a barrel.
EUR/USD was down 0.32% to 1.1351, while USD/JPY rose 0.48% to 119.47.
The US Dollar Index was up 0.32% at 94.76.