U.S. stocks higher at close of trade; Dow Jones Industrial Average up 1.40%

Investing.com – U.S. stocks were higher after the close on Wednesday, as gains in the Utilities, Financials and Healthcare sectors led shares higher.

At the close in NYSE, the Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 1.40% to hit a new all time high, while the S&P 500 index added 1.37%, and the NASDAQ Composite index added 1.38%.

The best performers of the session on the Dow Jones Industrial Average were Walgreens Boots Alliance Inc (NASDAQ:WBA), which rose 7.41% or 1.70 points to trade at 24.63 at the close. Meanwhile, Home Depot Inc (NYSE:HD) added 3.13% or 10.44 points to end at 343.64 and Dow Inc (NYSE:DOW) was up 3.01% or 1.53 points to 52.35 in late trade.

The worst performers of the session were Verizon Communications Inc (NYSE:VZ), which fell 0.83% or 0.31 points to trade at 36.99 at the close. International Business Machines (NYSE:IBM) declined 0.64% or 1.05 points to end at 163.66 and Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) was down 0.00% or 0.01 points to 374.37.

The top performers on the S&P 500 were Vertex Pharmaceuticals Inc (NASDAQ:VRTX) which rose 13.23% to 405.07, Revvity Inc (NYSE:RVTY) which was up 10.33% to settle at 98.70 and Zions Bancorporation (NASDAQ:ZION) which gained 9.68% to close at 41.82.

The worst performers were Pfizer Inc (NYSE:PFE) which was down 6.72% to 26.66 in late trade, Linde PLC Ord (NYSE:LIN) which lost 4.21% to settle at 408.74 and Southwest Airlines Company (NYSE:LUV) which was down 3.86% to 29.14 at the close.

The top performers on the NASDAQ Composite were C4 Therapeutics Inc (NASDAQ:CCCC) which rose 135.47% to 5.51, Shattuck Labs Inc (NASDAQ:STTK) which was up 130.33% to settle at 4.86 and Avalo Therapeutics Inc (NASDAQ:AVTX) which gained 70.03% to close at 0.06.

The worst performers were Hywin Holdings Ltd ADR (NASDAQ:HYW) which was down 42.61% to 3.30 in late trade, Brilliant Acquisition Corp (NASDAQ:BRLI) which lost 35.25% to settle at 6.65 and G1 Therapeutics Inc (NASDAQ:GTHX) which was down 35.39% to 2.41 at the close.

Rising stocks outnumbered declining ones on the New York Stock Exchange by 2571 to 367 and 39 ended unchanged; on the Nasdaq Stock Exchange, 2623 rose and 859 declined, while 91 ended unchanged.

Shares in Vertex Pharmaceuticals Inc (NASDAQ:VRTX) rose to all time highs; up 13.23% or 47.34 to 405.07. Shares in Pfizer Inc (NYSE:PFE) fell to 5-year lows; down 6.72% or 1.92 to 26.66. Shares in Home Depot Inc (NYSE:HD) rose to 52-week highs; gaining 3.13% or 10.44 to 343.64. Shares in Hywin Holdings Ltd ADR (NASDAQ:HYW) fell to all time lows; losing 42.61% or 2.45 to 3.30. Shares in Shattuck Labs Inc (NASDAQ:STTK) rose to 52-week highs; up 130.33% or 2.75 to 4.86. Shares in Brilliant Acquisition Corp (NASDAQ:BRLI) fell to all time lows; losing 35.25% or 3.62 to 6.65.

The CBOE Volatility Index, which measures the implied volatility of S&P 500 options, was up 0.99% to 12.19.

Gold Futures for February delivery was up 2.43% or 48.40 to $2,041.60 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in January rose 1.73% or 1.19 to hit $69.80 a barrel, while the February Brent oil contract rose 1.88% or 1.38 to trade at $74.62 a barrel.

EUR/USD was up 0.81% to 1.09, while USD/JPY fell 1.67% to 143.00.

The US Dollar Index Futures was down 0.91% at 102.52.