Investing.com – U.S. stocks were mixed after the close on Thursday, as gains in the Utilities, Telecoms and Consumer Services sectors led shares higher while losses in the Oil & Gas, Consumer Goods and Healthcare sectors led shares lower.
At the close in New York, the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 0.03%, while the S&P 500 index gained 0.01%, and the NASDAQ Composite index climbed 0.33%.
The best performers of the session on the Dow Jones Industrial Average were Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT), which rose 1.45% or 0.67 points to trade at 46.96 at the close. Meanwhile, United Technologies Corporation (NYSE:UTX) added 1.38% or 1.37 points to end at 100.73 and Caterpillar Inc (NYSE:CAT) was up 1.32% or 1.02 points to 78.35 in late trade.
The worst performers of the session were Procter & Gamble Company (NYSE:PG), which fell 4.01% or 3.23 points to trade at 77.39 at the close. UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH) declined 0.79% or 0.96 points to end at 120.56 and Boeing Company (NYSE:BA) was down 0.78% or 1.13 points to 143.01.
The top performers on the S&P 500 were Western Digital Corporation (NASDAQ:WDC) which rose 9.77% to 86.44, Wynn Resorts Limited (NASDAQ:WYNN) which was up 8.42% to settle at 104.12 and Vertex Pharmaceuticals Inc (NASDAQ:VRTX) which gained 7.83% to close at 135.46.
The worst performers were Qorvo Inc (NASDAQ:QRVO) which was down 14.17% to 60.48 in late trade, Whole Foods Market Inc (NASDAQ:WFM) which lost 11.61% to settle at 36.08 and Ensco PLC (NYSE:ESV) which was down 7.61% to 16.63 at the close.
The top performers on the NASDAQ Composite were Net Element International, Inc. (NASDAQ:NETE) which rose 71.50% to 0.24, QuickLogic Corporation (NASDAQ:QUIK) which was up 32.17% to settle at 1.52 and WPCS International Incorporated (NASDAQ:WPCS) which gained 25.36% to close at 1.730.
The worst performers were Perseon Corp (NASDAQ:PRSN) which was down 45.00% to 0.550 in late trade, Linn Co LLC (NASDAQ:LNCO) which lost 29.33% to settle at 4.410 and Linn Energy LLC (NASDAQ:LINE) which was down 26.32% to 4.76 at the close.
Falling stocks outnumbered advancing ones on the New York Stock Exchange by 1548 to 1540 and 2 ended unchanged; on the Nasdaq Stock Exchange, 1502 rose and 1296 declined, while 10 ended unchanged.
Shares in Whole Foods Market Inc (NASDAQ:WFM) fell to 3-years lows; losing 11.61% or 4.74 to 36.08. Shares in Ensco PLC (NYSE:ESV) fell to 5-year lows; losing 7.61% or 1.37 to 16.63. Shares in Perseon Corp (NASDAQ:PRSN) fell to 5-year lows; falling 45.00% or 0.450 to 0.550. Shares in Linn Co LLC (NASDAQ:LNCO) fell to all time lows; falling 29.33% or 1.830 to 4.410. Shares in Linn Energy LLC (NASDAQ:LINE) fell to all time lows; down 26.32% or 1.70 to 4.76.
The CBOE Volatility Index, which measures the implied volatility of S&P 500 options, was down 2.96% to 12.13.
Gold for December delivery was up 0.02% or 0.20 to $1087.70 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in September fell 0.81% or 0.40 to hit $48.41 a barrel, while the September Brent oil contract unchanged 0.00% or 0.00 to trade at $53.30 a barrel.
EUR/USD was down 0.49% to 1.0931, while USD/JPY rose 0.17% to 124.14.
The US Dollar Index was up 0.40% at 97.61.