Investing.com – U.S. stocks were higher after the close on Friday, as gains in the Technology, Healthcare and Consumer Services sectors led shares higher.
At the close in NYSE, the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 0.20% to hit a new 1-month high, while the S&P 500 index added 0.07%, and the NASDAQ Composite index climbed 0.41%.
The best performers of the session on the Dow Jones Industrial Average were UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH), which rose 2.80% or 3.25 points to trade at 119.33 at the close. Meanwhile, Apple Inc (NASDAQ:AAPL) added 2.37% or 2.59 points to end at 112.09 and United Technologies Corporation (NYSE:UTX) was up 1.12% or 1.06 points to 95.39 in late trade.
The worst performers of the session were Intel Corporation (NASDAQ:INTC), which fell 1.17% or 0.38 points to trade at 32.14 at the close. Goldman Sachs Group Inc (NYSE:GS) declined 0.99% or 1.80 points to end at 179.27 and Exxon Mobil Corporation (NYSE:XOM) was down 0.96% or 0.77 points to 79.26.
The top performers on the S&P 500 were Autodesk Inc (NASDAQ:ADSK) which rose 7.45% to 50.84, American Airlines Group (NASDAQ:AAL) which was up 6.74% to settle at 42.42 and United Continental Holdings Inc (NYSE:UAL) which gained 6.60% to close at 55.71.
The worst performers were Alcoa Inc (NYSE:AA) which was down 6.81% to 10.26 in late trade, Southwestern Energy Company (NYSE:SWN) which lost 5.81% to settle at 12.80 and Gap Inc (NYSE:GPS) which was down 5.32% to 27.41 at the close.
The top performers on the NASDAQ Composite were Daegis Inc (NASDAQ:DAEG) which rose 96.34% to 0.805, Uni-Pixel Inc (NASDAQ:UNXL) which was up 58.47% to settle at 1.87 and UTi Worldwide Inc (NASDAQ:UTIW) which gained 51.06% to close at 7.13.
The worst performers were Superconductor Technologies Inc (NASDAQ:SCON) which was down 32.26% to 0.284 in late trade, SMART Technologies Inc (NASDAQ:SMT) which lost 28.36% to settle at 0.480 and Ldr Holding (NASDAQ:LDRH) which was down 26.35% to 26.67 at the close.
Rising stocks outnumbered declining ones on the New York Stock Exchange by 1344 to 1177 and 4 ended unchanged; on the Nasdaq Stock Exchange, 1316 rose and 1168 declined, while 79 ended unchanged.
Shares in Gap Inc (NYSE:GPS) fell to 3-years lows; falling 5.32% or 1.54 to 27.41. Shares in Superconductor Technologies Inc (NASDAQ:SCON) fell to 52-week lows; falling 32.26% or 0.136 to 0.284. Shares in SMART Technologies Inc (NASDAQ:SMT) fell to all time lows; down 28.36% or 0.190 to 0.480. Shares in Ldr Holding (NASDAQ:LDRH) fell to 52-week lows; losing 26.35% or 9.54 to 26.67.
The CBOE Volatility Index, which measures the implied volatility of S&P 500 options, was down 1.55% to 17.15 a new 1-month low.
Gold for December delivery was up 1.08% or 12.40 to $1156.70 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in November rose 0.16% or 0.08 to hit $49.51 a barrel, while the November Brent oil contract fell 0.99% or 0.53 to trade at $52.52 a barrel.
EUR/USD was up 0.74% to 1.1361, while USD/JPY rose 0.28% to 120.25.
The US Dollar Index was down 0.49% at 94.93.