U.S. stocks higher at close of trade; Dow Jones Industrial Average up 0.45%

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

At the close in NYSE, the Dow Jones Industrial Average added 0.45%, while the S&P 500 index gained 0.57%, and the NASDAQ Composite index climbed 0.75%.

The best performers of the session on the Dow Jones Industrial Average were Home Depot Inc (NYSE:HD), which rose 3.06% or 10.61 points to trade at 356.80 at the close. Meanwhile, Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) added 1.86% or 6.98 points to end at 382.77 and Walmart Inc (NYSE:WMT) was up 1.24% or 1.98 points to 161.29 in late trade.

The worst performers of the session were Walgreens Boots Alliance Inc (NASDAQ:WBA), which fell 2.68% or 0.68 points to trade at 24.68 at the close. Intel Corporation (NASDAQ:INTC) declined 1.21% or 0.58 points to end at 47.47 and Dow Inc (NYSE:DOW) was down 1.04% or 0.56 points to 53.38.

The top performers on the S&P 500 were Intuitive Surgical Inc (NASDAQ:ISRG) which rose 10.25% to 364.45, Palo Alto Networks Inc (NASDAQ:PANW) which was up 5.22% to settle at 316.09 and Viatris Inc (NASDAQ:VTRS) which gained 4.31% to close at 12.10.

The worst performers were Quest Diagnostics Incorporated (NYSE:DGX) which was down 3.53% to 137.10 in late trade, Capital One Financial Corporation (NYSE:COF) which lost 3.00% to settle at 128.94 and Phillips 66 (NYSE:PSX) which was down 2.85% to 129.41 at the close.

The top performers on the NASDAQ Composite were Nauticus Robotics Inc (NASDAQ:KITT) which rose 78.65% to 0.52, Greenbrook TMS Inc (NASDAQ:GBNH) which was up 59.56% to settle at 0.43 and Clearmind Medicine Inc (NASDAQ:CMND) which gained 41.55% to close at 2.93.

The worst performers were DocGo Inc (NASDAQ:DCGO) which was down 37.58% to 2.99 in late trade, Pono Capital Three Inc (NASDAQ:PTHR) which lost 31.86% to settle at 5.41 and Ekso Bionics Holdings Inc (NASDAQ:EKSO) which was down 27.93% to 2.15 at the close.

Rising stocks outnumbered declining ones on the New York Stock Exchange by 1563 to 1284 and 86 ended unchanged; on the Nasdaq Stock Exchange, 1800 fell and 1607 advanced, while 109 ended unchanged.

Shares in Intuitive Surgical Inc (NASDAQ:ISRG) rose to 52-week highs; gaining 10.25% or 33.89 to 364.45. Shares in Palo Alto Networks Inc (NASDAQ:PANW) rose to all time highs; rising 5.22% or 15.67 to 316.09. Shares in Home Depot Inc (NYSE:HD) rose to 52-week highs; rising 3.06% or 10.61 to 356.80. Shares in Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) rose to all time highs; rising 1.86% or 6.98 to 382.77. Shares in DocGo Inc (NASDAQ:DCGO) fell to all time lows; falling 37.58% or 1.80 to 2.99. Shares in Pono Capital Three Inc (NASDAQ:PTHR) fell to all time lows; falling 31.86% or 2.53 to 5.41.

The CBOE Volatility Index, which measures the implied volatility of S&P 500 options, was down 0.55% to 12.69.

Gold Futures for February delivery was down 0.20% or 4.05 to $2,028.95 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in February fell 1.26% or 0.91 to hit $71.33 a barrel, while the March Brent oil contract fell 1.06% or 0.82 to trade at $76.77 a barrel.

EUR/USD was unchanged 0.35% to 1.10, while USD/JPY rose 0.92% to 145.79.

The US Dollar Index Futures was down 0.18% at 102.10.