The S&P 500 and Nasdaq hit fresh all-time highs midday, and Wall Street looked poised to extend its record-breaking run. However, the surge was short-lived, with both indexes faltering into the red by the close, the latter snapping a seven-day win streak. On the flip side, the Dow snagged a third-straight gain, logging its highest close and best single-session pop in a month.

Elsewhere, the stock market's "fear gauge," or Cboe Volatility Index (VIX), settled at its highest mark since May 29, as investors weighed softening economic data with a low volume, lackluster session. 

MULTI-WEEK PEAKS FOR OIL, GOLD

Crude enjoyed another day hitting seven-week highs, following inventory demand. July-dated West Intermediate (WTI) crude rose 60 cents, or 0.7%, to settle at $82.17 per barrel. August-dated WTI, now the front-month contract, settled at $81.29 a barrel, up 58 cents, or 0.7%. 

Economic data managed to send gold to a two-week peak, with investors even more so expecting rate cuts from the Federal Reserve in late 2024. August-dated gold closed $22.10 or 0.9% higher, to settle at $2,369 an ounce.

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