Investing.com – U.S. stocks were mixed after the close on Wednesday, as gains in the Telecoms, Utilities and Healthcare sectors led shares higher while losses in the Consumer Services, Technology and Industrials sectors led shares lower.
At the close in NYSE, the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 0.43% to hit a new 1-month high, while the S&P 500 index gained 0.37%, and the NASDAQ Composite index lost 0.05%.
The best performers of the session on the Dow Jones Industrial Average were UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH), which rose 2.52% or 10.71 points to trade at 435.09 at the close. Meanwhile, Verizon Communications Inc (NYSE:VZ) added 2.41% or 1.26 points to end at 53.61 and The Travelers Companies Inc (NYSE:TRV) was up 2.12% or 3.30 points to 158.69 in late trade.
The worst performers of the session were McDonald’s Corporation (NYSE:MCD), which fell 1.26% or 3.05 points to trade at 239.72 at the close. Goldman Sachs Group Inc (NYSE:GS) declined 1.04% or 4.27 points to end at 407.89 and Visa Inc Class A (NYSE:V) was down 0.90% or 2.10 points to 231.42.
The top performers on the S&P 500 were Anthem Inc (NYSE:ANTM) which rose 7.70% to 424.05, People’s United Financial Inc (NASDAQ:PBCT) which was up 5.85% to settle at 18.81 and M&T Bank Corp (NYSE:MTB) which gained 5.78% to close at 160.41.
The worst performers were Baker Hughes Co (NYSE:BKR) which was down 5.66% to 25.35 in late trade, PayPal Holdings Inc (NASDAQ:PYPL) which lost 4.91% to settle at 258.36 and Nasdaq Inc (NASDAQ:NDAQ) which was down 4.64% to 199.16 at the close.
The top performers on the NASDAQ Composite were Xiaobai Maimai Inc (NASDAQ:HX) which rose 98.42% to 18.8700, Sesen Bio Inc (NASDAQ:SESN) which was up 25.74% to settle at 1.270 and Puhui Wealth Investment Management Co Ltd (NASDAQ:PHCF) which gained 22.66% to close at 2.490.
The worst performers were Vinco Ventures Inc (NASDAQ:BBIG) which was down 17.99% to 6.380 in late trade, Grove Inc (NASDAQ:GRVI) which lost 17.54% to settle at 6.30 and ALJ Regional Holdings Inc (NASDAQ:ALJJ) which was down 15.38% to 0.9900 at the close.
Rising stocks outnumbered declining ones on the New York Stock Exchange by 2179 to 1016 and 143 ended unchanged; on the Nasdaq Stock Exchange, 2043 rose and 1514 declined, while 203 ended unchanged.
Shares in Anthem Inc (NYSE:ANTM) rose to all time highs; rising 7.70% or 30.30 to 424.05. Shares in UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH) rose to all time highs; gaining 2.52% or 10.71 to 435.09. Shares in Xiaobai Maimai Inc (NASDAQ:HX) rose to 52-week highs; rising 98.42% or 9.3600 to 18.8700.
The CBOE Volatility Index, which measures the implied volatility of S&P 500 options, was down 1.34% to 15.49 a new 1-month low.
Gold Futures for December delivery was up 0.74% or 13.05 to $1783.55 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in December rose 1.21% or 1.00 to hit $83.44 a barrel, while the December Brent oil contract rose 0.85% or 0.72 to trade at $85.80 a barrel.
EUR/USD was up 0.15% to 1.1650, while USD/JPY fell 0.04% to 114.32.
The US Dollar Index Futures was down 0.14% at 93.600.