U.S. stocks lower at close of trade; Dow Jones Industrial Average down 0.15%

Investing.com – U.S. stocks were lower after the close on Wednesday, as losses in the Oil & Gas, Basic Materials and Industrials sectors led shares lower.

At the close in NYSE, the Dow Jones Industrial Average declined 0.15%, while the S&P 500 index fell 0.13%, and the NASDAQ Composite index lost 0.15%.

The best performers of the session on the Dow Jones Industrial Average were UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (NYSE:UNH), which rose 1.95% or 9.36 points to trade at 489.68 at the close. Meanwhile, Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ) added 1.58% or 2.73 points to end at 175.74 and Procter & Gamble Company (NYSE:PG) was up 1.56% or 2.13 points to 138.50 in late trade.

The worst performers of the session were Dow Inc (NYSE:DOW), which fell 4.75% or 2.61 points to trade at 52.34 at the close. Caterpillar Inc (NYSE:CAT) declined 4.35% or 8.54 points to end at 187.83 and Chevron Corp (NYSE:CVX) was down 4.35% or 6.72 points to 147.87.

The top performers on the S&P 500 were DaVita HealthCare Partners Inc (NYSE:DVA) which rose 5.96% to 80.58, Clorox Co (NYSE:CLX) which was up 5.19% to settle at 132.14 and Moderna Inc (NASDAQ:MRNA) which gained 4.68% to close at 136.07.

The worst performers were Altria Group (NYSE:MO) which was down 9.19% to 41.50 in late trade, Freeport-McMoran Copper & Gold Inc (NYSE:FCX) which lost 7.96% to settle at 31.32 and Marathon Oil Corporation (NYSE:MRO) which was down 7.23% to 23.10 at the close.

The top performers on the NASDAQ Composite were Ocean Bio-Chem Inc (NASDAQ:OBCI) which rose 117.23% to 12.86, Phoenix Motor Inc (NASDAQ:PEV) which was up 70.47% to settle at 5.83 and Visionary Education Technology Holdings Group Inc (NASDAQ:VEDU) which gained 47.86% to close at 1.73.

The worst performers were Athira Pharma Inc (NASDAQ:ATHA) which was down 66.27% to 2.85 in late trade, Neptune Wellness Solutions Inc (NASDAQ:NEPT) which lost 40.69% to settle at 1.72 and Electric Last Mile Solutions Inc (NASDAQ:ELMS) which was down 34.97% to 0.19 at the close.

Falling stocks outnumbered advancing ones on the New York Stock Exchange by 1709 to 1427 and 130 ended unchanged; on the Nasdaq Stock Exchange, 1933 fell and 1904 advanced, while 172 ended unchanged.

Shares in Altria Group (NYSE:MO) fell to 52-week lows; down 9.19% or 4.20 to 41.50. Shares in Dow Inc (NYSE:DOW) fell to 52-week lows; down 4.75% or 2.61 to 52.34. Shares in Athira Pharma Inc (NASDAQ:ATHA) fell to all time lows; losing 66.27% or 5.60 to 2.85. Shares in Phoenix Motor Inc (NASDAQ:PEV) rose to all time highs; up 70.47% or 2.41 to 5.83. Shares in Neptune Wellness Solutions Inc (NASDAQ:NEPT) fell to 5-year lows; losing 40.69% or 1.18 to 1.72.

The CBOE Volatility Index, which measures the implied volatility of S&P 500 options, was down 4.11% to 28.95.

Gold Futures for August delivery was up 0.06% or 1.15 to $1,839.95 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in August fell 3.94% or 4.32 to hit $105.20 a barrel, while the August Brent oil contract fell 3.40% or 3.90 to trade at $110.75 a barrel.

EUR/USD was unchanged 0.40% to 1.06, while USD/JPY fell 0.25% to 136.26.

The US Dollar Index Futures was down 0.22% at 103.98.