U.S. stocks higher at close of trade; Dow Jones Industrial Average up 0.64%

Investing.com – U.S. stocks were higher after the close on Thursday, as gains in the Telecoms, Oil&Gas and Utilities sectors led shares higher.

At the close in NYSE, the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 0.64% to hit a new all time high, while the S&P 500 index gained 0.53%, and the NASDAQ Composite index added 0.18%.

The best performers of the session on the Dow Jones Industrial Average were International Business Machines (NYSE:IBM), which rose 9.53% or 16.57 points to trade at 190.50 at the close. Meanwhile, Caterpillar Inc (NYSE:CAT) added 3.48% or 10.11 points to end at 300.79 and Dow Inc (NYSE:DOW) was up 3.45% or 1.83 points to 54.92 in late trade.

The worst performers of the session were Boeing Co (NYSE:BA), which fell 5.71% or 12.23 points to trade at 201.90 at the close. UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH) declined 3.88% or 19.93 points to end at 493.30 and McDonald’s Corporation (NYSE:MCD) was down 1.08% or 3.24 points to 297.20.

The top performers on the S&P 500 were United Rentals Inc (NYSE:URI) which rose 12.96% to 651.64, American Airlines Group (NASDAQ:AAL) which was up 10.27% to settle at 15.36 and International Business Machines (NYSE:IBM) which gained 9.53% to close at 190.50.

The worst performers were Tesla Inc (NASDAQ:TSLA) which was down 12.13% to 182.63 in late trade, Humana Inc (NYSE:HUM) which lost 11.59% to settle at 355.76 and Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) which was down 6.20% to 435.15 at the close.

The top performers on the NASDAQ Composite were Processa Pharmaceuticals Inc (NASDAQ:PCSA) which rose 148.78% to 5.10, Onconetix Inc (NASDAQ:ONCO) which was up 129.73% to settle at 0.34 and Vera Therapeutics Inc (NASDAQ:VERA) which gained 48.71% to close at 25.31.

The worst performers were Redhill Biopharma Ltd (NASDAQ:RDHL) which was down 39.85% to 0.65 in late trade, FaZe Holdings Inc (NASDAQ:FAZE) which lost 25.91% to settle at 0.26 and Intelligent Bio Solutions Inc (NASDAQ:INBS) which was down 24.97% to 0.23 at the close.

Rising stocks outnumbered declining ones on the New York Stock Exchange by 2165 to 700 and 82 ended unchanged; on the Nasdaq Stock Exchange, 1968 rose and 1422 declined, while 144 ended unchanged.

Shares in United Rentals Inc (NYSE:URI) rose to all time highs; gaining 12.96% or 74.74 to 651.64. Shares in Humana Inc (NYSE:HUM) fell to 3-years lows; down 11.59% or 46.64 to 355.76. Shares in International Business Machines (NYSE:IBM) rose to 5-year highs; up 9.53% or 16.57 to 190.50. Shares in International Business Machines (NYSE:IBM) rose to 5-year highs; rising 9.53% or 16.57 to 190.50. Shares in Caterpillar Inc (NYSE:CAT) rose to all time highs; rising 3.48% or 10.11 to 300.79. Shares in Vera Therapeutics Inc (NASDAQ:VERA) rose to 52-week highs; rising 48.71% or 8.29 to 25.31.

The CBOE Volatility Index, which measures the implied volatility of S&P 500 options, was up 2.36% to 13.45.

Gold Futures for February delivery was up 0.21% or 4.25 to $2,020.25 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in March rose 2.74% or 2.06 to hit $77.15 a barrel, while the March Brent oil contract rose 2.84% or 2.27 to trade at $82.31 a barrel.

EUR/USD was unchanged 0.35% to 1.08, while USD/JPY rose 0.14% to 147.70.

The US Dollar Index Futures was up 0.25% at 103.30.