Investing.com -- U.S. stocks moved higher for a fourth consecutive session, as global bond yields hit fresh record-lows while investors continued to pile into safe-haven assets in the wake of last week's surprising Brexit outcome.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average inched up 19.17 or 0.11% to 17,949.17, while the S&P 500 gained 4.90 or 0.19% to 2,102.95, as the indices completed their strongest week since November. With the continued gains, both the Dow and S&P 500 have erased approximately 90% of their Brexit-inspired sell-offs triggered from last week's market shock. On the S&P 500, eight of 10 sectors closed in the green, as stocks in Energy, Telecommunications and Consumer Services industries led. Stocks in the Financials and Utilities sectors lagged, each falling more than 0.05% on the session.
The NASDAQ Composite index, meanwhile, added 19.90 or 0.41% to close at 4,862.57, after receiving a boost from the slumping biotech sector. The NASDAQ is coming off a disappointing first half when it slumped 3.5%, due primarily to signals of slowing growth among a number of major large-cap stocks.
The top performer on the Dow was Home Depot Inc (NYSE:HD), which added 1.93 or 1.51% to 129.62. It came amid favorable ratings from analysts due to the home improvement chain store's lack of international exposure beyond Canada and Mexico. Home Depot (NYSE:HD) shares are up more than 15% over the last year. The worst performer was JPMorgan Chase & Co (NYSE:JPM), which fell 0.88 or 1.42% to 61.26. Earlier, JP Morgan declared in a filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) that the bank will reduce the exercise price on warrant options to $42.13 a share at the close of business next Wednesday.
The biggest gainer on the NASDAQ was Endo International PLC (NASDAQ:ENDP), which added 1.39 or 8.92% to 16.98. Over the last year, shares in the specialty pharmaceutical company have tumbled more than 75% due to widespread pricing concerns in the drug industry. The worst performer was Micron Technology Inc (NASDAQ:MU), which plunged 1.26 or 9.16% to 12.50. On Thursday, the Idaho-based semiconductor company announced plans to eliminate approximately 2,400 worldwide jobs after its quarterly sales slumped 25%.
On the S&P 500, the biggest performer was Harley-Davidson Inc (NYSE:HOG), which surged 9.04 or 19.96% to 54.34 after rumors surfaced that private equity firm KKR & Co. may express interest in acquiring the popular motorcycle company. Micron was also the worst performer on the S&P 500, just below Williams Companies Inc (NYSE:WMB), which fell 1.06 or 4.88% to 20.58. On Thursday, nearly half of the company's Board of Directors tendered resignations after a planned $20 billion merger with ETE collapsed.
Shares in Hershey Company (NYSE:HSY) fell 1.59 or 1.35% to 111.95 one day after the Chocolate giant rejected a $23 billion acquisition bid from Mondelez International Inc (NASDAQ:MDLZ). On Thursday, Hershey shares surged more than 15%, holding onto gains amid speculation that Mondelez could amend its offer.
On the New York Stock Exchange, advancing issues outnumbered declining ones by a 1,916-1,081 margin.