US close: Stocks end higher as Britons cast their votes

Markets in the US closed higher on Thursday, with sterling reaching close to year-to-date highs against the greenback as sentiment swayed towards expectations that the UK will vote to remain in the European Union.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average finished up 1.29% at 18,011.07, the S&P 500 added 1.34% to 2,113.32 and the Nasdaq ended the day up 1.59% at 4,910.04.

“I think the market’s already voted. It looks like they’re looking for the stay vote to prevail,” Darhan Capital CEO Adam Sarhan said.

“This could be a classic case of 'buy the rumor, sell the fact.’”

Financials - a sector highly sensitive to the results of the referendum - gained 2.1% to lead all of the S&P 500.

Goldman Sachs contributed the biggest gains to the Dow, rising 3%.

The US Federal Reserve was due to release the first annual bank stress test results after the close.

Sterling traded near $1.49 during the session - its highest levels since December.

It was last 1.19% stronger at $1.4882.

Weekly jobless claims figures fell to 259,000 in a release during the day, which was near the 43-year low touched in March.

The flash Markit manufacturing PMI for June rose to 51.4, from 50.7 last month.

New home sales declined however, by 6% in May, to a seasonally-adjusted annual rate of 551,000.

Crude oil prices settled up by the closing bell in New York, with West Texas Intermediate last ahead 1.96% at $50.12 and Brent crude up 2.1% at $50.94 per barrel.

On the corporate front, app development tool firm Twilio opened at $23.99 per share after an IPO at $15 per share, well above the anticipated $12-$13 range for the stock.

Department store Macy’s announced during the session that CEO Terry Lundgren will step down from his post next year.

S&P 500 - Risers
Micron Technology Inc. (MU) $14.06 +10.53%
Transocean Ltd. (RIG) $12.03 +5.53%
United States Steel Corp. (X) $18.04 +5.37%
Western Digital Corp. (WDC) $50.81 +5.09%
Tenet Healthcare Corp. (THC) $29.38 +4.93%
Williams Companies Inc. (WMB) $21.78 +4.91%
Leucadia National Corp. (LUK) $17.98 +4.84%
Charles Schwab Corp. (SCHW) $29.69 +4.76%
Qorvo, Inc. (QRVO) $58.28 +4.74%
Mosaic Company (MOS) $28.00 +4.71%

S&P 500 - Fallers
Red Hat Inc. (RHT) $78.39 -1.71%
Southwest Airlines Co. (LUV) $39.59 -1.66%
Viacom Inc. Class B (VIAB) $43.47 -1.27%
Newmont Mining Corp. (NEM) $35.39 -0.92%
Nike Inc. (NKE) $54.12 -0.82%
Essex Prty Trust Inc. (ESS) $218.45 -0.80%
Costco Wholesale Corp. (COST) $157.03 -0.69%
Ross Stores Inc. (ROST) $54.06 -0.68%
Delta Airlines Inc. (DAL) $38.31 -0.62%
Extra Space Storage (EXR) $87.04 -0.49%

Dow Jones I.A - Risers
Goldman Sachs Group Inc. (GS) $152.66 +3.05%
Caterpillar Inc. (CAT) $78.22 +2.34%
Visa Inc. (V) $78.23 +2.22%
Intel Corp. (INTC) $32.99 +2.17%
JP Morgan Chase & Co. (JPM) $64.05 +2.14%
Chevron Corp. (CVX) $104.44 +2.10%
American Express Co. (AXP) $63.25 +2.10%
Travelers Company Inc. (TRV) $113.85 +1.81%
Microsoft Corp. (MSFT) $51.90 +1.78%
Cisco Systems Inc. (CSCO) $29.22 +1.74%

Dow Jones I.A - Fallers
Nike Inc. (NKE) $54.12 -0.82%

Nasdaq 100 - Risers
Micron Technology Inc. (MU) $14.06 +10.53%
Western Digital Corp. (WDC) $50.81 +5.09%
Akamai Technologies Inc. (AKAM) $57.17 +4.51%
Sba Communications Corp. (SBAC) $107.26 +4.24%
Illumina Inc. (ILMN) $146.59 +4.05%
Incyte Corp. (INCY) $81.66 +4.03%
Vertex Pharmaceuticals Inc. (VRTX) $88.20 +3.50%
NetApp Inc. (NTAP) $26.02 +3.29%
Liberty Global plc Series A (LBTYA) $33.14 +2.98%
Liberty Global plc Series C (LBTYK) $32.31 +2.96%

Nasdaq 100 - Fallers
Viacom Inc. Class B (VIAB) $43.47 -1.27%
Costco Wholesale Corp. (COST) $157.03 -0.69%
Ross Stores Inc. (ROST) $54.06 -0.68%
Tesla Motors Inc (TSLA) $196.40 -0.13%
Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. - Ordinary Shares (NCLH) $44.23 -0.02%