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

At the close at NYSE the index rose 0.60% while it climbed 0.95%. The index also gained 1.51%.

They were the top performers at the session American Express Company (NYSE 🙂 rose by 3.14% to 160.51, or 4.88 point at the close. Meanwhile, Boeing Co (NYSE): Added 2.3% or 2.66 Points to End at 122.06 Home Depot Inc (NYSE 🙂 rose 1.96%, or 5.65 points, to 293.57 during late trade.

The worst performers of the session were Procter & Gamble Company (NYSE:), which fell 1.64% or 2.42 points to trade at 145.21 at the close. Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:) declined 0.98% or 1.78 points to end at 179.62 and Merck & Company Inc (NYSE:) was down 0.94% or 0.89 points to 93.75.

The top performers on the S&P 500 were Gap Inc (NYSE:) which rose 12.46% to 10.65, Best Buy Co Inc (NYSE:) which was up 8.97% to settle at 80.06 and Bath & Body Works Inc. (NYSE:) which gained 8.71% to close at 39.30.

Agilent Technology Inc (NYSE:), which fell 3.24% to 120.38 during late trade was the worst performer. Hologic Inc (NASDAQ:), which fell 3.05% to settle for 76.00, and Waters Corporation(NYSE:), which dropped 3.04% to close at 307.81

Top performers in the NASDAQ Composite included Very Good Food Company Inc (NASDAQ :), which rose 118.20% up to 0.29 and Genocea Biosciences Inc, which rose 51.07% to settle to 0.09. 36Kr Holdings Inc (NASDAQ:), which closed at 1.04 after gaining 42.47%

These were the worst performers Verrica Pharmaceuticals Inc (NASDAQ 🙂 was trading at 63.85% down to 2.01 late in trade China Liberal Education Holdings (NASDAQ 🙂 lost 38.80% and settled at 1.53; Enochian Biosciences Inc NASDAQ : was down 36.97% to close at 3.70

On the New York Stock Exchange, rising stocks outnumbered falling ones by 2456, 720, and 100 ending unchanged.

Verrica Pharmaceuticals Inc. shares (NASDAQ:), fell to new lows. The stock lost 63.85% (3.55 to 2.01). Enochian Biosciences Inc’s shares fell by 36.97% (or 2.17 to 3.70) during the 52-week period.

The , which measures the implied volatility of S&P 500 options, was down 3.67% to 28.37.

For June delivery, Gold Futures fell 0.69% to $1852.53 an ounce. Other commodities traded included Crude oil, which rose 0.91 percent or 1.01 to reach $110.77/barrel, and August Brent oil, which rose 0.76 or 0.73 for $111.42/barrel.

The EUR/USD fell 0.56%, to 1.07; the USD/JPY rose by 0.38%, to 127.29.

US Dollar Index Futures were up 0.3% at 102.18.