Investing.com -- Stocks were mixed on Wednesday after a slight pull-back in the afternoon reversed early gains on a light day of trading on the U.S. markets.
Led by gains in the healthcare and basic materials sectors, the Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 17.75 points or 0.10 % to remain in record territory at 18.226.94.
The NASDAQ Composite Index, meanwhile, dropped 0.02 percent or 0.98 points to end a 10-day winning streak. With two trading days left to crack the 5,000 barrier by the end of the month, the NASDAQ closed on Wednesday at 4,967.14. The S&P 500 also closed down, falling 0.08% or 1.65 points to 2,113.83.
The biggest performers of the session on the Dow Jones Industrial Average were McDonald's Corporation (NYSE:MCD), which rose 3.87% or 3.68 points to 98.66. McDonald's is up more than 10 percent since the ouster of former CEO Don Thompson last month. American Express Company (NYSE:AXP) also closed up 1.62% or 1.31 to 82.17, after the company announced plans to raise interest rates an average of 2.5 percent on a "small percentage" of its credit cards, company spokesperson Elizabeth Crosta said.
The worst performers on the session were Intel Corporation (NASDAQ:INTC), which dropped 0.47 points or 1.35% to 33.95 and International Business Machines (NYSE:IBM), which fell 1.26% or 2.07 points to close at 84.87.
The biggest performers of the session on the NASDAQ Composite index were VimpelCom (NASDAQ:VIP), which gained 6.65% or 0.32 points to close at 5.13 and Verisk Analytics Inc (NASDAQ:VRSK), which rose 6.29% or 4.27 points to 72.18.
The worst performers of the session were Express Scripts Holding Company (NASDAQ:ESRX), which lost 2.89% or 2.53 points to close at 85.09 and Wynn Resorts Limited (NASDAQ:WYNN), which fell 2.69% or 3.95 points to close at 143.05.
The biggest performers of the session on the S&P 500 index were Newfield Exploration Company (NYSE:NFX), which rose 13.67% or 4.33 to 36.00 and First Solar Inc (NASDAQ:FSLR), which gained 7.02% or 3.84 to close at 58.54.
The worst performers were Hewlett-Packard Company (NYSE:HPQ), which dropped 9.92% or 3.82 points to close at 34.67. With nearly two-thirds of its sales overseas, Hewlett-Packard has been beset by a stronger dollar. Chesapeake Energy Corporation (NYSE:CHK), meanwhile, fell 9.56% or 1.90 points to 17.98 after the company announced it will cut capital expenditures more than it previously expected.