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

At the close in NYSE, the Dow Jones Industrial Average added 1.24% to hit a new 1-month high, while the S&P 500 index gained 0.88%, and the NASDAQ Composite index added 0.64%.

The best performers of the session on the Dow Jones Industrial Average were 3M Company (NYSE: MMM ), which rose 4.16% or 5.86 points to trade at 146.89 at the close. Meanwhile, Nike Inc (NYSE: NKE ) added 3.29% or 2.33 points to end at 73.17 and Caterpillar Inc (NYSE: CAT ) was up 3.20% or 12.34 points to 398.36 in late trade.

The worst performers of the session were Apple Inc (NASDAQ: AAPL ), which fell 3.19% or 7.34 points to trade at 222.64 at the close. Chevron Corp (NYSE: CVX ) declined 2.00% or 3.23 points to end at 158.24 and Merck & Company Inc (NYSE: MRK ) was down 1.72% or 1.69 points to 96.24.

The top performers on the S&P 500 were Vistra Energy Corp (NYSE: VST ) which rose 8.48% to 185.35, Oracle Corporation (NYSE: ORCL ) which was up 7.17% to settle at 172.57 and Prologis Inc (NYSE: PLD ) which gained 7.12% to close at 117.27.

The worst performers were Walgreens Boots Alliance Inc (NASDAQ: WBA ) which was down 9.19% to 11.37 in late trade, Erie Indemnity Company (NASDAQ: ERIE ) which lost 6.04% to settle at 381.07 and Lennar Corporation (NYSE: LEN ) which was down 5.93% to 133.14 at the close.

The top performers on the NASDAQ Composite were Asset Entities Inc (NASDAQ: ASST ) which rose 94.43% to 0.90, Dogwood Therapeutics Inc (NASDAQ: DWTX ) which was up 68.45% to settle at 3.15 and US Energy Corp (NASDAQ: USEG ) which gained 63.36% to close at 3.79.

The worst performers were Canoo Inc (NASDAQ: GOEV ) which was down 72.59% to 0.37 in late trade, Orangekloud Technology Inc (NASDAQ: ORKT ) which lost 36.88% to settle at 0.71 and Hepion Pharmaceuticals Inc (NASDAQ: HEPA ) which was down 29.80% to 0.32 at the close.

Rising stocks outnumbered declining ones on the New York Stock Exchange by 2209 to 612 and 48 ended unchanged; on the Nasdaq Stock Exchange, 2224 rose and 1113 declined, while 93 ended unchanged.

Shares in Vistra Energy Corp (NYSE: VST ) rose to all time highs; gaining 8.48% or 14.49 to 185.35. Shares in 3M Company (NYSE: MMM ) rose to 3-years highs; gaining 4.16% or 5.86 to 146.89. Shares in Merck & Company Inc (NYSE: MRK ) fell to 52-week lows; falling 1.72% or 1.69 to 96.24. Shares in Canoo Inc (NASDAQ: GOEV ) fell to all time lows; down 72.59% or 0.98 to 0.37. Shares in US Energy Corp (NASDAQ: USEG ) rose to 52-week highs; up 63.36% or 1.47 to 3.79. Shares in Hepion Pharmaceuticals Inc (NASDAQ: HEPA ) fell to all time lows; falling 29.80% or 0.14 to 0.32.

The CBOE Volatility Index , which measures the implied volatility of S&P 500 options, was down 4.74% to 15.06.

Gold Futures for February delivery was up 0.29% or 7.87 to $2,756.57 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in March fell 1.85% or 1.43 to hit $75.96 a barrel, while the March Brent oil contract fell 0.90% or 0.72 to trade at $79.43 a barrel.

EUR/USD was unchanged 0.12% to 1.04, while USD/JPY fell 0.04% to 155.50.

The US Dollar Index Futures was down 1.30% at 107.78.