U.S. stocks lower at close of trade; Dow Jones Industrial Average down 3.57% By Investing.com

Investing.com – U.S. stocks were lower after the close on Wednesday, as losses in the , and sectors led shares lower.

At the close in NYSE, the fell 3.57% to hit a new 52-week low, while the index fell 4.04%, and the index lost 4.73%.

The best performers of the session on the were Verizon Communications Inc (NYSE:), which fell 0.10% or 0.05 points to trade at 48.89 at the close. Meanwhile, Amgen Inc (NASDAQ:) fell 0.57% or 1.39 points to end at 243.96 and Merck & Company Inc (NYSE:) was down 0.97% or 0.90 points to 92.10 in late trade.

The worst performers of the session were Walgreens Boots Alliance Inc (NASDAQ:), which fell 8.39% or 3.77 points to trade at 41.17 at the close. Coca-Cola Co (NYSE:) declined 6.96% or 4.58 points to end at 61.20 and Walmart Inc (NYSE:) was down 6.79% or 8.92 points to 122.43.

The top performers on the S&P 500 were TJX Companies Inc (NYSE:) which rose 7.12% to 60.19, Assurant Inc (NYSE:) which was up 1.31% to settle at 186.85 and NRG Energy Inc (NYSE:) which gained 1.24% to close at 45.76.

The worst performers were Target Corporation (NYSE:) which was down 24.93% to 161.61 in late trade, Dollar Tree Inc (NASDAQ:) which lost 14.42% to settle at 133.80 and Old Dominion Freight Line Inc (NASDAQ:) which was down 12.97% to 236.47 at the close.

The top performers on the NASDAQ Composite were Troika Media Group Inc (NASDAQ:) which rose 48.21% to 0.58, Magenta Therapeutics Inc (NASDAQ:) which was up 32.20% to settle at 1.56 and Ricebran Tech (NASDAQ:) which gained 22.08% to close at 0.72.

The worst performers were Endo International PLC (NASDAQ:) which was down 46.54% to 0.62 in late trade, Baudax Bio Inc (NASDAQ:) which lost 31.53% to settle at 0.81 and INVO Bioscience Inc (NASDAQ:) which was down 29.45% to 1.09 at the close.

Falling stocks outnumbered advancing ones on the New York Stock Exchange by 2727 to 458 and 81 ended unchanged; on the Nasdaq Stock Exchange, 3041 fell and 745 advanced, while 212 ended unchanged.

Shares in Target Corporation (NYSE:) fell to 52-week lows; down 24.93% or 53.67 to 161.61. Shares in NRG Energy Inc (NYSE:) rose to 5-year highs; rising 1.24% or 0.56 to 45.76. Shares in Old Dominion Freight Line Inc (NASDAQ:) fell to 52-week lows; falling 12.97% or 35.25 to 236.47. Shares in Walgreens Boots Alliance Inc (NASDAQ:) fell to 52-week lows; falling 8.39% or 3.77 to 41.17. Shares in Walmart Inc (NYSE:) fell to 52-week lows; falling 6.79% or 8.92 to 122.43. Shares in Endo International PLC (NASDAQ:) fell to all time lows; falling 46.54% or 0.54 to 0.62. Shares in Baudax Bio Inc (NASDAQ:) fell to all time lows; falling 31.53% or 0.37 to 0.81. Shares in INVO Bioscience Inc (NASDAQ:) fell to 5-year lows; falling 29.45% or 0.46 to 1.09.

The , which measures the implied volatility of S&P 500 options, was up 18.62% to 30.96.

Gold Futures for June delivery was down 0.27% or 4.99 to $1,813.91 a troy ounce. Elsewhere in commodities trading, Crude oil for delivery in July fell 2.77% or 3.04 to hit $106.59 a barrel, while the July Brent oil contract fell 2.63% or 2.94 to trade at $108.99 a barrel.

EUR/USD was down 0.81% to 1.05, while USD/JPY fell 0.92% to 128.21.

The US Dollar Index Futures was up 0.53% at 103.96.