US equities extended their record-breaking run on Thursday. The S&P 500 rose +0.3% to 7'041 at a fresh all-time closing high, the Nasdaq added +0.4% to 24'103, its twelfth consecutive positive session, and the Dow gained +0.2% to 48'579. Breadth was narrowing, with energy, materials, and real estate leading while healthcare and consumer discretionary lagged.
In Europe, the pan-European STOXX 600 edged down less than 0.1% to approximately 617, the FTSE 100 outperformed at +0.3% to 10'590, and the Swiss SMI closed at -0.4% at 13'173, as investors balanced a strong UK GDP print against lingering Middle East uncertainty.
In Asia, profit-taking dominated: the Nikkei 225 pulled back -1.8% to 58'476 after reaching a record high on Thursday, the Hang Seng fell -1.0% to 26'123, and the Shanghai Composite slipped -0.1% to 4'051.
WTI crude surged +3.7% to $94.69/barrel after Bloomberg reported Gulf Arab and European leaders believe a comprehensive US-Iran agreement could take around six months, dashing near-term resolution hopes; gold
settled at $4'790/oz, near unchanged.
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