S&P 500, Nasdaq hit record highs, Dow Jones sole decliner

US stocks ended higher on Thursday amid improving global trade sentiment, though IBM’s weak performance weighed on Dow Jones.

Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 0.70%, or 316 points, to 44,693.

The broader S&P 500 inched up 4 points to 6,363, marking a new record close and extending its winning streak to nine consecutive sessions.

The Nasdaq Composite rose 0.18%, or 37 points, to 21,057, also reaching a record close.

IBM’s stock dropped 7.62% to $260.51 amid investor concerns about potential weakness in its software business, despite the company reporting strong Q2 results.

Tesla shares slid 8.20% to $305.30 after disappointing results that showed a 23% profit decline, which capped Nasdaq’s gains.

In Europe, the Stoxx Europe 600 index rose 0.25% to 551.55, with positive performance across most major markets.

Germany’s DAX gained 0.25% to 24,295, while the UK’s FTSE climbed 0.85% to a new record high at 9,138. France’s CAC, however, slipped 0.40% to 7,818.

In Japan, the Nikkei 225 surged 1.6% to 41,826, crossing 42,000 for the first time since July, while the broader Topix jumped 1.75% to 2,977, hitting a record level.

As for oil markets, Brent crude futures for September delivery gained 0.98%, or 67 cents, to $69.18 a barrel. US WTI crude (NYMEX) for September delivery climbed 1.20%, or 78 cents, to $66.03 a barrel.

As for gold, August futures dropped 0.70%, or $24.1, to $3,373.50 an ounce.