US close: Markets eke out gains amid quieter trading

US stocks eked out gains during a relatively quiet trading session on Monday, with telecommunications and healthcare stocks leading the risers.

The S&P 500 finished up 0.1% at 2,051.60, the Dow Jones Industrial Average closed up 0.12% at 17,623.87, and the Nasdaq ended the day up 0.28% at 4,808.87.

Oil rose during the US session remaining well above the $40 mark, with Brent crude last up 0.99% at $41.61 per barrel and West Texas Intermediate up 1.32% at $41.69.

Treasury yields also rose, with the two year touching close to 0.87% and the 10 year at 1.92%.

On the economic front, existing home sales declined to their lowest level since November in February, to an annual rate of 5.08 million units.

After that worse-than-expected data, Goldman Sachs lowered its first quarter GDP growth forecast by 0.1 percentage points to 2.3%.

The Chicago Fed national activity index was also published before the markets opened, with the measure going to -0.29 in February from -0.41 in January.

Of the S&P 500 advancers, telecommunications and healthcare led while materials and energy dragged. On the Dow Jones industrials, Boeing and Nike were at the top of the list while Chevron, Goldman Sachs and Walt Disney featured among the biggest fallers.

The Nasdaq composite saw Gilead Sciences and Microsoft among the leaders, with Apple also gaining 0.5% after unveiling a new, low-cost iPhone and a 9.7 inch tablet at a launch event.

Veleant Pharmaceuticals closed up 7.4%, paring back earlier gains after it announced the departure of CEO Mike Pearson. It was still off 70% in the year to date.

Citigroup also closed 0.14% higher after touching gains as high as 1%. A note from KBW, published on Sunday, said Citi “could be one of the only US (global systematically important banks) that could successfully split up”.

The greenback traded generally higher during the session. It was last 0.39% stronger against the yen at JPY 111.98, 0.26% ahead on the common currency at $1.1241 per euro, and 0.74% closer to sterling at $1.4369 per pound.

US markets have a short week, with floors closed on Good Friday.

S&P 500 - Risers
Genworth Financial Inc. (GNW) $3.26 +7.59%
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide Inc. (HOT) $84.19 +4.49%
Paypal Holdings Inc (PYPL) $41.14 +4.39%
Micron Technology Inc. (MU) $11.53 +3.50%
FLIR Systems Inc. (FLIR) $33.36 +2.77%
Nike Inc. (NKE) $64.72 +2.75%
Gilead Sciences Inc. (GILD) $92.67 +2.66%
PVH Corp. (PVH) $90.57 +2.59%
Celgene Corp. (CELG) $101.14 +2.41%
eBay Inc. (EBAY) $24.34 +2.40%

S&P 500 - Fallers
Sherwin-Williams Co. (SHW) $273.29 -5.33%
Wyndham Worldwide Corp. (WYN) $77.07 -4.60%
Williams Companies Inc. (WMB) $17.35 -4.41%
Cabot Oil & Gas Corp. (COG) $21.79 -4.30%
United States Steel Corp. (X) $15.15 -3.87%
ONEOK Inc. (OKE) $29.69 -3.67%
EQT Corp. (EQT) $63.33 -3.67%
Endo International Plc (ENDP) $28.84 -3.35%
Staples Inc. (SPLS) $9.69 -3.10%
Range Resources Corp. (RRC) $32.93 -3.00%

Dow Jones I.A - Risers
Nike Inc. (NKE) $64.72 +2.75%
Pfizer Inc. (PFE) $30.07 +2.11%
Wal-Mart Stores Inc. (WMT) $67.97 +1.52%
Boeing Co. (BA) $135.86 +1.42%
Merck & Co. Inc. (MRK) $52.80 +1.05%
International Business Machines Corp. (IBM) $148.63 +1.05%
Microsoft Corp. (MSFT) $53.86 +0.69%
Caterpillar Inc. (CAT) $75.89 +0.56%
General Electric Co. (GE) $31.09 +0.55%
Verizon Communications Inc. (VZ) $53.44 +0.38%

Dow Jones I.A - Fallers
Chevron Corp. (CVX) $96.44 -1.28%
Intel Corp. (INTC) $32.34 -1.04%
Goldman Sachs Group Inc. (GS) $156.29 -0.83%
Walt Disney Co. (DIS) $98.46 -0.75%
Exxon Mobil Corp. (XOM) $83.62 -0.69%
Cisco Systems Inc. (CSCO) $28.19 -0.49%
E.I. du Pont de Nemours and Co. (DD) $64.57 -0.45%
3M Co. (MMM) $164.84 -0.30%
Home Depot Inc. (HD) $131.01 -0.26%
McDonald's Corp. (MCD) $123.81 -0.22%

Nasdaq 100 - Risers
Incyte Corp. (INCY) $68.61 +5.44%
Ctrip.Com International Ltd. Ads (CTRP) $45.16 +3.77%
Micron Technology Inc. (MU) $11.53 +3.50%
Illumina Inc. (ILMN) $155.13 +3.25%
Gilead Sciences Inc. (GILD) $92.67 +2.66%
Celgene Corp. (CELG) $101.14 +2.41%
eBay Inc. (EBAY) $24.34 +2.40%
Tesla Motors Inc (TSLA) $238.32 +2.40%
TripAdvisor Inc. (TRIP) $65.71 +2.18%
Biogen Inc (BIIB) $256.04 +2.10%

Nasdaq 100 - Fallers
Biomarin Pharmaceutical Inc. (BMRN) $78.19 -3.40%
Endo International Plc (ENDP) $28.84 -3.35%
Dish Network Corp. (DISH) $48.29 -1.71%
Vimpelcom Ltd Ads (VIP) $4.06 -1.69%
NetApp Inc. (NTAP) $26.79 -1.65%
Monster Beverage Corp (MNST) $134.52 -1.47%
Ross Stores Inc. (ROST) $58.43 -1.47%
Viacom Inc. Class B (VIAB) $40.96 -1.21%
Fiserv Inc. (FISV) $100.42 -1.14%
Intel Corp. (INTC) $32.34 -1.04%