U.S. stocks higher at close of trade; Dow Jones Industrial Average up 0.97%

Investing.com – U.S. stocks were higher after the close on Thursday, as gains in the Utilities, Consumer Services and Basic Materials sectors led shares higher.

At the close in NYSE, the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 0.97% to hit a new all time high, while the S&P 500 index gained 1.25%, and the NASDAQ Composite index added 1.30%.

The best performers of the session on the Dow Jones Industrial Average were Merck&Company Inc (NYSE:MRK), which rose 4.64% or 5.60 points to trade at 126.38 at the close. Meanwhile, Amgen Inc (NASDAQ:AMGN) added 3.28% or 10.30 points to end at 324.56 and Walgreens Boots Alliance Inc (NASDAQ:WBA) was up 3.01% or 0.68 points to 23.25 in late trade.

The worst performers of the session were Honeywell International Inc (NASDAQ:HON), which fell 2.45% or 4.95 points to trade at 197.31 at the close. UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH) declined 0.90% or 4.60 points to end at 507.14 and Boeing Co (NYSE:BA) was down 0.58% or 1.23 points to 209.81.

The top performers on the S&P 500 were Corteva Inc (NYSE:CTVA) which rose 18.87% to 54.06, FMC Corporation (NYSE:FMC) which was up 10.57% to settle at 62.14 and Norfolk Southern Corporation (NYSE:NSC) which gained 9.12% to close at 255.23.

The worst performers were CH Robinson Worldwide Inc (NASDAQ:CHRW) which was down 12.59% to 73.50 in late trade, Aflac Inc (NYSE:AFL) which lost 9.65% to settle at 76.20 and Zions Bancorporation (NASDAQ:ZION) which was down 6.32% to 39.25 at the close.

The top performers on the NASDAQ Composite were Neurobo Pharmaceuticals Inc (NASDAQ:NRBO) which rose 67.28% to 5.47, Kiora Pharmaceuticals Inc (NASDAQ:KPRX) which was up 53.87% to settle at 0.85 and Ostin Technology Group Co Ltd (NASDAQ:OST) which gained 45.85% to close at 0.58.

The worst performers were CCSC Technology International Holdings Ltd (NASDAQ:CCTG) which was down 81.60% to 3.90 in late trade, ADDvantage Technologies Group Inc (NASDAQ:AEY) which lost 67.02% to settle at 0.61 and Revelation Biosciences Inc (NASDAQ:REVB) which was down 63.86% to 3.18 at the close.

Rising stocks outnumbered declining ones on the New York Stock Exchange by 2235 to 677 and 63 ended unchanged; on the Nasdaq Stock Exchange, 2107 rose and 1290 declined, while 132 ended unchanged.

Shares in CH Robinson Worldwide Inc (NASDAQ:CHRW) fell to 3-years lows; losing 12.59% or 10.59 to 73.50. Shares in Norfolk Southern Corporation (NYSE:NSC) rose to 52-week highs; gaining 9.12% or 21.34 to 255.23. Shares in Merck&Company Inc (NYSE:MRK) rose to all time highs; up 4.64% or 5.60 to 126.38. Shares in Amgen Inc (NASDAQ:AMGN) rose to all time highs; rising 3.28% or 10.30 to 324.56. Shares in CCSC Technology International Holdings Ltd (NASDAQ:CCTG) fell to all time lows; falling 81.60% or 17.29 to 3.90. Shares in ADDvantage Technologies Group Inc (NASDAQ:AEY) fell to all time lows; down 67.02% or 1.24 to 0.61. Shares in Revelation Biosciences Inc (NASDAQ:REVB) fell to all time lows; losing 63.86% or 5.62 to 3.18.

The CBOE Volatility Index, which measures the implied volatility of S&P 500 options, was down 2.16% to 14.04.

Gold Futures for April delivery was up 0.19% or 3.95 to $2,071.35 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in March fell 2.45% or 1.86 to hit $73.99 a barrel, while the April Brent oil contract fell 2.02% or 1.63 to trade at $78.92 a barrel.

EUR/USD was up 0.51% to 1.09, while USD/JPY fell 0.30% to 146.44.

The US Dollar Index Futures was down 0.18% at 102.90.