Australian Shares Fall as Westpac Slides, Miners Gain Ahead of RBA Decision 
US Job Growth Seen Picking Up in July 
Oil Prices Rise as Hormuz Reopening Remains Uncertain 
Oil Prices Rise as Hormuz Reopening Remains Uncertain 
BOJ Rate Hike Expectations Rise Ahead of September Meeting 
US Dollar Falls as Weak July Jobs Report Dents Fed Rate Hike Bets 
Asian Stocks Rise as Weak US Jobs Data Eases Fed Rate Hike Bets 
South Korean Won Leads Asian FX Losses as Dollar Rises 
US Yen Intervention Unlikely to Deliver Lasting Recovery, Yardeni Says 
Trump Unveils $3 Billion U.S. Critical Minerals Push 
China Inflation Cools in July as CPI Misses Forecast, PPI Deflation Eases 
Iran-Oman Near Strait of Hormuz Deal as Shipping Tensions Persist 
Japan Posts First Current Account Deficit in 17 Months as Dividend Payments Surge 
Asian Currencies Steady as Markets Await U.S. Jobs Data 
The Dow Jones Industrial Average closed at a fresh record high on Wednesday as gains in healthcare and consumer stocks offset weakness in technology shares. Investors paused after the recent AI-driven market rally while closely monitoring developments in Middle East peace negotiations and upcoming U.S. inflation data.
The Dow climbed 182.60 points, or 0.36%, to finish at 50,644.28. The S&P 500 edged up 0.02% to 7,520.36, while the Nasdaq Composite gained 0.07% to close at 26,674.74. Both the S&P 500 and Nasdaq also recorded new closing highs for a second consecutive session.
Healthcare and consumer-related stocks helped drive the market higher. Procter & Gamble surged 3.2%, while UnitedHealth advanced 1.9%. Consumer discretionary stocks led sector gains, rising 1.9% overall.
Technology and semiconductor shares, however, pulled back after recent strong performances. Qualcomm dropped 6%, Marvell Technology fell 4.6%, and Intel declined 1.4%. Nvidia slipped 1%, contributing to a 1.4% decline in the Philadelphia Semiconductor Index after the benchmark reached record levels earlier this week.
Banking stocks also weighed on the market. JPMorgan Chase shares tumbled 2.4% after CEO Jamie Dimon warned that company expenses could exceed previous forecasts by approximately $1 billion this year.
Investor sentiment remained cautious as U.S.-Iran negotiations continued. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said progress had been made in talks with Iran, although President Donald Trump stated unresolved issues still remain.
Oil prices also pressured the market, with the S&P 500 energy sector falling 1.5% as crude prices dropped nearly 5%.
Elsewhere, cybersecurity company Zscaler plunged 31.5% after issuing weaker-than-expected revenue guidance. Meanwhile, Bath & Body Works jumped 9.7% following strong quarterly earnings, and Abercrombie & Fitch gained after reporting better-than-expected profits.
Goldman Sachs raised its 2026 year-end target for the S&P 500 to 8,000 from 7,600, citing resilient corporate earnings growth and continued market momentum.
