Wall Street finished Wednesday mixed, following hawkish comments from U.S. Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell. The tech-heavy Nasdaq finished today's session slightly higher and is on pace to close out its best first half in 40 years thanks to optimism surrounding artificial intelligence (AI). Elsewhere, the Dow and S&P 500 finished lower, as did Wall Street's "fear gauge," the Cboe Volatility Index (VIX).

GOLD PRICES SETTLE AT MORE THAN 3-MONTH LOW

Oil futures jumped after an Energy Information Administration (EIA) report showed a fall in U.S. crude supplies. August-dated crude added $1.86, or 2.8%, to close at $69.56 per barrel for the day.

August-dated gold shed $1.60, or 0.1%, to close at $1,922.20 an ounce, settling at a more than three-month low amid expectations of more interest rate hikes ahead.

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