The S&P 500 climbed 0.3% to 2,973.01 and posted a record closing high while the Dow Jones Industrial Average ended the day up 69.25 points at 26,786.68. The Nasdaq Composite advanced 0.2% to 8,109.09.

· European stocks finished higher on Tuesday after President Donald Trump said that trade talks with China, which had stalled in May, have “already begun” following his meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping at the weekend.

The pan-European Stoxx 600 closed up 0.4% provisionally. Utilities led the gains with a 2% rise, while oil and gas stocks fell 0.6% amid a sharp drop in crude prices.

· Markets in Asia traded cautiously on Wednesday morning despite the S&P 500 touching a new record overnight stateside, with global trade concerns weighing on investor sentiment.

The Nikkei 225 slipped 0.24% in early trade, while the Topix fell 0.54%.

Reference: Reuters, CNBC