Today's inflation data helped Wall Street close out the day, week, month, and --last but not least -- quarter with a bang. The Dow added 285 points today, securing its third consecutive quarterly win and best monthly gain since November. The S&P 500 and Nasdaq both inked their fourth-straight monthly pop, the former's best month since November and the latter's best since January. Elsewhere, the Cboe Volatility Index (VIX) marked its third quarterly dip in a row.

It was also a big first half of the year for Wall Street. The Nasdaq vastly outperformed, surging nearly 32% for its best first half since 1983. The S&P 500 popped 16% for its best first two-quarter performance since 2019, while the Dow turned in a more modest first-half gain.

GOLD, OIL POST NOTABLE QUARTERLY LOSSES

August-dated crude added 78 cents, or 1.1%, to close at $70.64 per barrel for the day and settled 3.8% higher in June, buoyed by OPEC's latest deal and voluntary production cuts. However, oil prices slid 6.7% for the quarter, the fourth-straight such loss. 

Gold futures also settled higher today, besting a three-day losings streak after August-dated gold shed $11.50, or 0.6%, to close at $1,929.40 an ounce. Meanwhile, bullion posted a modest weekly loss, alongside bigger monthly and quarterly dips.

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