Investing.com – U.S. stocks were higher after the close on Wednesday, as gains in the Technology, Healthcare and Utilities sectors led shares higher.
At the close in NYSE, the Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 1.08%, while the S&P 500 index climbed 1.63%, and the NASDAQ Composite index climbed 2.15%.
The best performers of the session on the Dow Jones Industrial Average were Cisco Systems Inc (NASDAQ:CSCO), which rose 3.74% or 2.16 points to trade at 59.93 at the close. Meanwhile, UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH) added 3.11% or 14.92 points to end at 494.38 and Apple Inc (NASDAQ:AAPL) was up 2.85% or 4.97 points to 179.30 in late trade.
The worst performers of the session were Nike Inc (NYSE:NKE), which fell 0.91% or 1.50 points to trade at 163.90 at the close. JPMorgan Chase & Co (NYSE:JPM) declined 0.75% or 1.19 points to end at 157.94 and Chevron Corp (NYSE:CVX) was down 0.57% or 0.66 points to 115.56.
The top performers on the S&P 500 were Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE:LLY) which rose 10.39% to 275.28, Advanced Micro Devices Inc (NASDAQ:AMD) which was up 8.04% to settle at 146.50 and NVIDIA Corporation (NASDAQ:NVDA) which gained 7.49% to close at 304.59.
The worst performers were Nucor Corp (NYSE:NUE) which was down 8.61% to 108.22 in late trade, Medtronic PLC (NYSE:MDT) which lost 6.04% to settle at 104.94 and Newmont Goldcorp Corp (NYSE:NEM) which was down 3.45% to 54.23 at the close.
The top performers on the NASDAQ Composite were Theseus Pharmaceuticals Inc (NASDAQ:THRX) which rose 34.12% to 12.58, CMC Materials Inc (NASDAQ:CCMP) which was up 33.93% to settle at 195.50 and Biofrontera Inc (NASDAQ:BFRI) which gained 26.36% to close at 6.95.
The worst performers were ATAI Life Sciences BV (NASDAQ:ATAI) which was down 31.94% to 6.82 in late trade, Pulmatrix Inc (NASDAQ:PULM) which lost 31.58% to settle at 0.4851 and China Xiangtai Food Co Ltd (NASDAQ:PLIN) which was down 28.17% to 1.8100 at the close.
Rising stocks outnumbered declining ones on the New York Stock Exchange by 2151 to 1109 and 149 ended unchanged; on the Nasdaq Stock Exchange, 2462 rose and 1332 declined, while 218 ended unchanged.
Shares in Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE:LLY) rose to all time highs; rising 10.39% or 25.90 to 275.28. Shares in Medtronic PLC (NYSE:MDT) fell to 52-week lows; down 6.04% or 6.75 to 104.94. Shares in Cisco Systems Inc (NASDAQ:CSCO) rose to 5-year highs; rising 3.74% or 2.16 to 59.93. Shares in UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH) rose to all time highs; up 3.11% or 14.92 to 494.38. Shares in ATAI Life Sciences BV (NASDAQ:ATAI) fell to all time lows; down 31.94% or 3.20 to 6.82. Shares in Pulmatrix Inc (NASDAQ:PULM) fell to all time lows; down 31.58% or 0.2239 to 0.4851.
The CBOE Volatility Index, which measures the implied volatility of S&P 500 options, was down 11.88% to 19.29.
Gold Futures for February delivery was up 0.29% or 5.10 to $1777.40 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in January rose 1.05% or 0.74 to hit $71.47 a barrel, while the February Brent oil contract fell 0.01% or 0.01 to trade at $74.31 a barrel.
EUR/USD was up 0.09% to 1.1295, while USD/JPY rose 0.01% to 114.04.
The US Dollar Index Futures was down 0.25% at 96.293.