On the 4th, the Dow Jones Industrial Average and the S&P 500 both closed at record highs in the New York market. Strong earnings from heavy machinery giant Caterpillar and data analytics firm Palantir Technologies, along with hopes for a peace deal between the U.S. and Iran, lifted the market. Palantir surged 29.5 percent, while Caterpillar rose 5.6 percent. In currency markets, the yen fell against the dollar and the euro, weakening 0.25 percent to 157.56 per dollar and 0.33 percent to 181.36 per euro. However, it remains significantly stronger than the nearly 40-year low of 163.99 reached before last week's coordinated intervention by Japan and the U.S. In bond markets, crude oil prices fell on expectations of an end to hostilities between the U.S. and Iran, and fading speculation of a Federal Reserve rate hike in September pushed the two-year yield down 6.22 basis points to 4.194 percent, its lowest in about two weeks. The 10-year yield also fell 5.72 basis points to 4.627 percent. Gold futures rose 1 percent as the sharp drop in oil eased inflation concerns, with U.S. gold futures settling 1.5 percent higher at 4,152.60 dollars. U.S. crude futures fell more than 5 percent, with Brent crude down 5.3 percent to 79.36 dollars and WTI crude down 5.7 percent to 75.77 dollars, hitting their lowest in about three weeks.
Caterpillar IncStrong earnings from Caterpillar lifted the market.
Palantir Technologies Inc.Strong earnings from Palantir lifted the market.
