US equities advanced on Wednesday on encouraging economic data. US services PMI attained 55.1 last month compared to estimates of 53.4. Moreover, US non-farm employment increased more-than-expected in September. However, dismal services PMI releases from eurozone and China capped the upswing of the US stock index. The S&P 500 Index gained 0.36% to close at 1,450.99. Eight out of ten sectors within the index climbed. The top-performers were telecommunications and financials. CenturyLink, Crown Castle International and Sprint Nextel added 1.04%, 2.80% and 6.12%, respectively. Among lenders, Comerica and Fifth Third Bancorp moved higher by 1.30% and 1.55%. Family Dollar Stores surged 3.88% after reporting upbeat income and sales figures. On the downside were oil and gas companies as well as basic materials producers. Alpha Natural Resources and Anadarko Petroleum dropped 2.17% and 2.03%. Monsanto led losses in the basic materials sector, plunging 2.58% after announcing wider than expected loss and disappointing revenues.