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

At the close in NYSE, the Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 0.79% to hit a new all time high, while the S&P 500 index gained 0.47%, and the NASDAQ Composite index added 0.28%.

The best performers of the session on the Dow Jones Industrial Average were Cisco Systems Inc (NASDAQ:CSCO), which rose 4.25% or 2.30 points to trade at 56.38 at the close. Meanwhile, Visa Inc Class A (NYSE:V) added 2.95% or 8.23 points to end at 287.52 and Unitedhealth Group (NYSE:UNH) was up 2.71% or 15.05 points to 571.34 in late trade.

The worst performers of the session were Intel Corporation (NASDAQ:INTC), which fell 1.54% or 0.35 points to trade at 22.31 at the close. Amgen Inc (NASDAQ:AMGN) declined 1.06% or 3.46 points to end at 321.63 and Merck & Company Inc (NYSE:MRK) was down 1.00% or 1.11 points to 110.42.

The top performers on the S&P 500 were United Airlines Holdings Inc (NASDAQ:UAL) which rose 12.44% to 72.02, Delta Air Lines Inc (NYSE:DAL) which was up 6.79% to settle at 56.31 and Morgan Stanley (NYSE:MS) which gained 6.49% to close at 119.50.

The worst performers were Agilent Technologies Inc (NYSE:A) which was down 3.78% to 139.11 in late trade, KLA Corporation (NASDAQ:KLAC) which lost 3.55% to settle at 682.59 and Mettler-Toledo International Inc (NYSE:MTD) which was down 3.37% to 1,404.47 at the close.

The top performers on the NASDAQ Composite were Sharps Technology Inc (NASDAQ:STSS) which rose 2,191.37% to 3.24, 180 Life Sciences Corp (NASDAQ:ATNF) which was up 325.66% to settle at 6.47 and Versus Systems Inc (NASDAQ:VS) which gained 243.48% to close at 3.95.

The worst performers were NewGenIvf Group Ltd (NASDAQ:NIVF) which was down 37.76% to 1.22 in late trade, JIA DA CORP (NASDAQ:JDZG) which lost 35.14% to settle at 0.72 and Silvaco Group Inc (NASDAQ:SVCO) which was down 32.73% to 7.44 at the close.

Rising stocks outnumbered declining ones on the New York Stock Exchange by 2113 to 691 and 92 ended unchanged; on the Nasdaq Stock Exchange, 2431 rose and 892 declined, while 111 ended unchanged.

Shares in United Airlines Holdings Inc (NASDAQ:UAL) rose to 3-years highs; gaining 12.44% or 7.97 to 72.02. Shares in Delta Air Lines Inc (NYSE:DAL) rose to 3-years highs; rising 6.79% or 3.58 to 56.31. Shares in Morgan Stanley (NYSE:MS) rose to all time highs; gaining 6.49% or 7.28 to 119.50. Shares in Cisco Systems Inc (NASDAQ:CSCO) rose to 52-week highs; up 4.25% or 2.30 to 56.38. Shares in Sharps Technology Inc (NASDAQ:STSS) rose to all time highs; rising 2,191.37% or 3.10 to 3.24. Shares in Versus Systems Inc (NASDAQ:VS) rose to 52-week highs; up 243.48% or 2.80 to 3.95. Shares in Silvaco Group Inc (NASDAQ:SVCO) fell to all time lows; down 32.73% or 3.62 to 7.44.

The CBOE Volatility Index, which measures the implied volatility of S&P 500 options, was down 5.14% to 19.58.

Gold Futures for December delivery was up 0.41% or 10.90 to $2,689.80 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in November rose 0.04% or 0.03 to hit $70.61 a barrel, while the December Brent oil contract rose 0.23% or 0.17 to trade at $74.42 a barrel.

EUR/USD was unchanged 0.28% to 1.09, while USD/JPY rose 0.32% to 149.66.

The US Dollar Index Futures was up 0.30% at 103.36.