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

At the close in NYSE, the Dow Jones Industrial Average declined 1.95%, while the S&P 500 index declined 2.08%, and the NASDAQ Composite index lost 2.48%.

The best performers of the session on the Dow Jones Industrial Average were Merck&Company Inc (NYSE: MRK), which rose 0.16% or 0.16 points to trade at 101.66 at the close. Meanwhile, McDonald’s Corporation (NYSE: MCD) fell 0.16% or 0.45 points to end at 277.95 and Procter&Gamble Company (NYSE: PG) was down 0.23% or 0.31 points to 136.50 in late trade.

The worst performers of the session were Walt Disney Company (NYSE: DIS), which fell 13.15% or 13.14 points to trade at 86.76 at the close. Chevron Corp (NYSE: CVX) declined 3.95% or 7.32 points to end at 178.02 and Dow Inc (NYSE: DOW) was down 3.93% or 1.95 points to 47.70.

The top performers on the S&P 500 were Akamai Technologies Inc (NASDAQ: AKAM) which rose 6.19% to 89.08, Gen Digital Inc (NASDAQ: GEN) which was up 6.01% to settle at 22.92 and Bio-Rad Laboratories Inc (NYSE: BIO) which gained 5.82% to close at 404.05.

The worst performers were Walt Disney Company (NYSE: DIS) which was down 13.15% to 86.76 in late trade, Occidental Petroleum Corporation (NYSE: OXY) which lost 9.21% to settle at 67.94 and Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd (NYSE: NCLH) which was down 8.74% to 15.77 at the close.

The top performers on the NASDAQ Composite were Merrimack Pharmaceuticals Inc (NASDAQ: MACK) which rose 212.75% to 12.51, Outset Medical Inc (NASDAQ: OM) which was up 29.90% to settle at 14.90 and Neurobo Pharmaceuticals Inc (NASDAQ: NRBO) which gained 29.60% to close at 1.62.

The worst performers were Clovis Oncology Inc (NASDAQ: CLVS) which was down 71.62% to 0.28 in late trade, Telos Corp (NASDAQ: TLS) which lost 68.84% to settle at 3.44 and Athersys Inc (NASDAQ: ATHX) which was down 56.45% to 0.56 at the close.

Falling stocks outnumbered advancing ones on the New York Stock Exchange by 2528 to 567 and 103 ended unchanged; on the Nasdaq Stock Exchange, 2858 fell and 902 advanced, while 179 ended unchanged.

Shares in Walt Disney Company (NYSE: DIS) fell to 52-week lows; losing 13.15% or 13.14 to 86.76. Shares in Merck&Company Inc (NYSE: MRK) rose to all time highs; up 0.16% or 0.16 to 101.66. Shares in Walt Disney Company (NYSE: DIS) fell to 52-week lows; falling 13.15% or 13.14 to 86.76. Shares in Merrimack Pharmaceuticals Inc (NASDAQ: MACK) rose to 5-year highs; rising 212.75% or 8.51 to 12.51. Shares in Clovis Oncology Inc (NASDAQ: CLVS) fell to all time lows; falling 71.62% or 0.70 to 0.28. Shares in Telos Corp (NASDAQ: TLS) fell to all time lows; down 68.84% or 7.60 to 3.44. Shares in Athersys Inc (NASDAQ: ATHX) fell to all time lows; down 56.45% or 0.72 to 0.56.

The CBOE Volatility Index, which measures the implied volatility of S&P 500 options, was up 2.15% to 26.09.

Gold Futures for December delivery was down 0.45% or 7.65 to $1,708.35 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in December fell 3.80% or 3.38 to hit $85.53 a barrel, while the January Brent oil contract fell 3.18% or 3.03 to trade at $92.33 a barrel.

EUR/USD was down 0.62% to 1.00, while USD/JPY rose 0.51% to 146.40.

The US Dollar Index Futures was up 0.75% at 110.36.

Market Check