European stocks rose to new records on Friday amid an improving macroeconomic backdrop for equities and a bounce for companies with exposure to the speculative AI trade. The Euro STOXX 50 closed 0.9% higher at 6,417 and the STOXX Europe 600 rose 0.7% to 653. A session of thinner trading due to the holiday in the US put the spotlight on the tech sector, trimming its losses from a volatile week as investors reconsidered risks that chip producers and AI hyperscalers are overbought. ASML rose 3.7%, tracking Asian counterparts, and Infineon gained 1.2%. Meanwhile, companies with participation in data center operation gained with Siemens adding 2.5%and Schneider gaining 1.5%, while utilities Iberdrola and Enel rose 1.5%. While sovereign yields remained higher in the long end, lower yields for shorter maturities supported banks with BBVA and Deutsche Bank adding 1%. Gains consolidated as a soft jobs report in the US and inflation report in the Eurozone trimmed rate cut bets by central banks.

Gold climbed to $4,170 per ounce on Friday, touching its highest level since June 23 and set for a 2% weekly gain after four consecutive weeks of declines, as weak US jobs data reduced expectations for a near-term Federal Reserve interest rate hike. US nonfarm payrolls increased by just 57,000 in June, the smallest rise in four months and far below the 110,000 forecast, prompting traders to lower their bets on a September rate hike. According to the CME FedWatch tool, the probability of a hike dropped to 50%, down from 66% before the report. Lower interest rates decrease the opportunity cost of holding non-yielding assets like gold. Additionally, the US dollar was on track for its largest weekly decline since April, further supporting gold prices. Central banks also contributed to demand, adding a net 41 metric tons of gold to reserves in May, per World Gold Council data. In physical markets, Indian demand softened as prices rose, while Chinese buying interest saw a slight improvement.

The S&P Global Composite PMI for Brazil rose to 50.7 in June 2026 from 49.5 in May, pointing to a mild recovery in private sector activity. The upturn was driven by services, while manufacturing recorded a softer decline in output. Aggregate new orders increased, driven by stronger demand for services, with World Cup-related spending providing a significant boost. Meanwhile, new orders received by manufacturers continued to fall but at a slower pace. Employment declined for the first time in five months as services firms reduced staffing despite hiring in manufacturing. Overall price pressures eased to a three-month low, but business optimism softened.

Mexico's Consumer Confidence Index rose 0.4 points to 43.8 in June 2026 from May, as households became slightly more optimistic about current economic conditions. Four of the five components of the index improved during the month. The largest increases were recorded in perceptions of current household finances, which rose 1.2 points to 51.2, and willingness to purchase durable goods, up 1.1 points to 30.0. Assessments of the current national economic situation increased 0.7 points to 37.5, while expectations for the country's economic outlook over the next 12 months edged up 0.3 points to 43.7. In contrast, expectations for household finances over the next year declined 1.0 point to 56.4. Compared with June 2025, consumer confidence was 1.8 points lower.

Brent crude oil prices fluctuated around $72 a barrel in thin Friday trading, hovering near levels last seen before the Middle East conflict erupted in late February as commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz continued to recover amid progress in US-Iran talks. Specifically, crude exports from Saudi Arabia climbed back to 90% of their pre war baseline, matching a strong supply rebound in the United Arab Emirates. Iraq is likewise showing tentative signs of shipping recovery, while a sizable inventory of Iranian oil continues to accumulate at sea. Also, President Donald Trump said negotiations with Iran were progressing well after mediators from Qatar and Pakistan held separate meetings with US and Iranian officials in Doha on Wednesday.

The S&P Global Spain Services PMI accelerated to 54.2 in June 2026, well above expectations of 50.9 and rebounding from May's 50.1 to post its strongest growth rate of the year. This expansion was driven by a robust influx of domestic new orders, which outstripped corporate capacities and caused a marked accumulation of backlogs. Though export demand remained flat, it marked the first time in 2026 that international sales avoided a decline. Buoyed by potential resolutions to the Middle East conflict, business sentiment surged to a four-month high, prompting firms to expand recruitment at the fastest pace in three months to extend a 45 month streak of job creation. Rising headcounts elevated wage bills, which alongside high fuel costs, kept operational expenses substantial. However, input price inflation slowed to a four-month low, allowing service providers to moderate their own rate hikes and cool output price inflation to its lowest level since January.