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

At the close in NYSE, the rose 0.56% to hit a new 1-month high, while the index added 0.74%, and the index climbed 0.71%.

The best performers of the session on the were Merck & Company Inc (NYSE:), which rose 3.03% or 2.34 points to trade at 79.49 at the close. Meanwhile, Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:) added 2.34% or 3.75 points to end at 163.87 and Walmart Inc (NYSE:) was up 2.12% or 3.01 points to 144.69 in late trade.

The worst performers of the session were Procter & Gamble Company (NYSE:), which fell 1.18% or 1.68 points to trade at 140.66 at the close. Nike Inc (NYSE:) declined 1.01% or 1.61 points to end at 157.82 and Walgreens Boots Alliance Inc (NASDAQ:) was down 0.81% or 0.39 points to 48.01.

The top performers on the S&P 500 were Dominion Energy Inc (NYSE:) which rose 4.53% to 75.22, Edwards Lifesciences Corp (NYSE:) which was up 3.52% to settle at 115.00 and Deere & Company (NYSE:) which gained 3.39% to close at 343.09.

The worst performers were Ulta Beauty Inc (NASDAQ:) which was down 10.58% to 363.35 in late trade, Macy’s Inc (NYSE:) which lost 6.12% to settle at 26.52 and Western Union Co (NYSE:) which was down 5.26% to 20.17 at the close.

The top performers on the NASDAQ Composite were Xiaobai Maimai Inc (NASDAQ:) which rose 42.58% to 9.5100, Kaival Brands Innovations Group Inc (NASDAQ:) which was up 39.75% to settle at 2.250 and Huadi International Group Co Ltd (NASDAQ:) which gained 24.68% to close at 10.585.

The worst performers were Galera Therapeutics Inc (NASDAQ:) which was down 69.59% to 2.250 in late trade, Atea Pharmaceuticals Inc (NASDAQ:) which lost 65.96% to settle at 13.82 and Remitly Global Inc (NASDAQ:) which was down 17.70% to 33.30 at the close.

Rising stocks outnumbered declining ones on the New York Stock Exchange by 1872 to 1314 and 137 ended unchanged; on the Nasdaq Stock Exchange, 2259 rose and 1341 declined, while 177 ended unchanged.

Shares in Xiaobai Maimai Inc (NASDAQ:) rose to 52-week highs; rising 42.58% or 2.8400 to 9.5100. Shares in Galera Therapeutics Inc (NASDAQ:) fell to all time lows; losing 69.59% or 5.150 to 2.250. Shares in Atea Pharmaceuticals Inc (NASDAQ:) fell to all time lows; down 65.96% or 26.78 to 13.82. Shares in Huadi International Group Co Ltd (NASDAQ:) rose to all time highs; gaining 24.68% or 2.095 to 10.585. Shares in Remitly Global Inc (NASDAQ:) fell to all time lows; down 17.70% or 7.16 to 33.30.

The , which measures the implied volatility of S&P 500 options, was down 3.74% to 15.70 a new 1-month low.

Gold Futures for December delivery was up 0.25% or 4.45 to $1770.15 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in December rose 0.72% or 0.59 to hit $82.28 a barrel, while the December Brent oil contract rose 0.72% or 0.61 to trade at $84.94 a barrel.

EUR/USD was up 0.22% to 1.1635, while USD/JPY rose 0.04% to 114.36.

The US Dollar Index Futures was down 0.19% at 93.767.