NEW YORK, New York - U.S. stocks rose Thursday after further inflation data encouraged investors and traders to step up buying orders. 

"The Producer Price Index for final demand was unchanged in July, seasonally adjusted," the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics said in a statement Thursday. "Final demand prices edged down 0.1 percent in June and rose 0.5 percent in May.\On an unadjusted basis, the index for final demand increased 4.7 percent for the 12 months ended in July," the statement added.

The Standard and Poor's 500 rose by 50.49 points, or 0.65 percent, to finish at 7,798.99, notching its sixth consecutive winning session. The benchmark index traded within a range of 7,763.18 to 7,816.70 during the day, brushing against its all-time high of 7,816.70.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average eked out a more modest gain, adding 69.81 points, or 0.13 percent, to close at 53,840.08. The blue-chip index fluctuated between 53,622.46 and 54,049.14, remaining below its record peak of 54,744.33.

The tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite was the standout performer, surging by 214.54 points, or 0.81 percent, to end at 26,803.03. The index was buoyed by strength in megacap technology and semiconductor names, hitting an intraday high of 26,875.52 before paring some gains.

U.S. Dollar Holds Firm Against Most Majors; Canadian Dollar Bucks the Trend

The U.S. dollar traded flat to a touch higher against most of its major counterparts on Thursday, as investors weighed mixed economic signals and consolidated positions ahead of key central bank meetings. The greenback's broad strength was nearly universal, with only the Canadian dollar managing to eke out a fractional gain against its U.S. rival.

In European currency markets, the euro edged slightly higher against the dollar, with the EUR-USD pair last quoted at 1.1528, reflecting a marginal gain of 0.02 percent. The move was largely seen as technical, with traders noting thin liquidity during the summer session.

Against the Japanese yen, the dollar advanced firmly. The USD-JPY pair traded at 159.5400, up by 0.08 percent, as the interest rate differential between the U.S. and Japan continued to weigh on the yen. The pair remained near multi-decade highs, keeping markets alert for potential intervention from Japanese authorities.

The British pound also softened against the dollar, with GBP-USD falling to 1.3484, a decline of 0.08 percent. The move followed weaker-than-expected U.K. retail sales data, which reignited concerns about the health of the British consumer and the pace of the Bank of England's future rate cuts.

In the commodity currency space, the Australian dollar slipped by 0.04 percent to 0.7059 against the greenback. The modest decline came despite firmer iron ore prices, as risk appetite remained subdued across Asia-Pacific markets.

The U.S. dollar strengthened against the Swiss franc, with USD-CHF climbing by 0.11 percent to 0.8145. The franc, traditionally seen as a safe-haven currency, lost ground as global equity markets showed a mixed but generally resilient tone, reducing demand for defensive assets.

The sole exception to the dollar's advance was the Canadian dollar, which gained fractionally against its U.S. counterpart. The USD-CAD pair was last seen at 1.3934, down by 0.05 percent, as oil prices—Canada's major export—rallied on supply concerns. That modest uptick in the loonie broke the otherwise uniform pattern of dollar strength across the board.

Overall, the greenback ended the session on a steady footing, with traders now turning their attention to upcoming U.S. inflation data and Federal Reserve commentary for further direction.

Global Markets End Divided on Thursday as Tech Gains Offset European Losses

World stock markets closed with a mixed performance on Thursday, as a surge in Asian technology shares countered weakness in European and U.S. benchmarks. Investors continued to digest corporate earnings and interest rate signals, leading to a cautious end to the trading session.

 Canada's S&P/TSX Composite Index rose by 97.15 points, or 0.26 percent, to 36,759.29, with trading volume of 242.831 million shares, as energy stocks benefited from higher oil prices.

In Europe, the mood was predominantly negative. Germany's DAX index lost ground, declining 31.33 points, or 0.12 percent, to finish at 26,299.74.

France's CAC 40 dropped 24.38 points, or 0.28 percent, settling at 8,650.56.

The pan-European EURO STOXX 50, however, bucked the regional trend, adding 11.48 points, or 0.18 percent, to end at 6,545.47 as some financial stocks found buyers. The broader Euronext 100 Index rose by 2.08 points, or 0.11 percent, to 1,974.94, while Belgium's BEL 20 declined by 14.55 points, or 0.25 percent.

London's FTSE 100 fell by 60.48 points, or 0.56 percent, to close at 10,772.67, slipping from its previous close as mining and energy stocks weighed on the index. 

Asian markets showed a more pronounced divergence. Japan's Nikkei 225 delivered a strong performance, soaring by 784.53 points, or 1.16 percent, to close at an impressive 68,308.59, driven by a weak yen and robust demand for export-oriented tech firms.

South Korea's KOSPI Composite Index was the session's standout performer, skyrocketing by 234.30 points, or a solid 3.56 percent, to 6,813.34. Taiwan's TWSE index also rallied, adding 503.41 points, or 1.11 percent, to finish at 46,021.48. Meanwhile, Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index slipped by 43.66 points, or 0.17 percent, closing at 25,396.51.

Finally, in mainland China, the SSE Composite Index slipped by 19.71 points, or 0.50 percent, to close at 3,926.96, as investors remained cautious ahead of upcoming economic data releases.

In the Pacific, Australia's S&P/ASX 200 lost 20.90 points, or 0.23 percent, to end at 9,188.50, while the broader All Ordinaries fell by 23.30 points, or 0.25 percent, to 9,381.40. New Zealand's S&P/NZX 50 gained ground, rising 87.64 points, or 0.64 percent, to 13,825.30.

Elsewhere in the region, India's S&P BSE Sensex edged higher by 113.61 points, or 0.15 percent, to 78,079.96. The STI Index in Singapore was nearly flat, dropping just 0.70 points, or 0.01 percent, to close at 5,720.05. In contrast, the IDX Composite in Indonesia fell sharply by 72.08 points, or 1.13 percent, to 6,301.77, while Malaysia's FTSE Bursa KLCI declined by 6.90 points, or 0.40 percent, settling at 1,734.71.

In the Middle East and Africa, Israel's TA-125 index rose by 22.08 points, or 0.54 percent, to 4,087.30, and Egypt's EGX 30 Price Return Index gained 211.80 points, or 0.38 percent, finishing at 55,251.60. South Africa's Top 40 USD Net TRI Index fell by 75.75 points, or 1.06 percent, to 7,066.46

(This report incorporates quotes retrieved with the assistance of artificial intelligence).

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