On Wednesday, July 3rd, U.S. stock markets closed mixed. The S&P 500 and Nasdaq reached record highs, driven by hopes of a Federal Reserve rate cut in September due to softening economic data. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell slightly, impacted by declines in healthcare and consumer stocks. The ADP Employment report and weekly jobless claims data indicated a softening labor market ahead of the highly anticipated non-farm payrolls report. Most S&P 500 sectors closed positively, with leading gains in materials, IT, and utilities, while healthcare and consumer staples declined. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was down 0.06% and closed at 39,308.00. The S&P 500 gained 0.51%, ending the day at 5,537.02, and the Nasdaq Composite rose 0.88%, finishing the session at 18,188.30. Asian ...