Dow rises 200 points, S&P 500 hits record high as Wall Street wraps up strong first half of 2021; European stocks close out first half of 2021 up over 13%, dip on final day of second quarter 
The S&P 500 climbed to a record high on the final day of June to close out a strong first half of the year for Wall Street. 
The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose about 210 points, boosted by strong days for Walmart, Boeing, and Goldman Sachs, to 34,502.51. The S&P 500 nudged up 0.1% to 4,297.50 for its fifth-straight record close. The Nasdaq Composite lagged, ticking down roughly 0.2% to 14,503.95. 
Wednesday was the last day of the second quarter and final day of the first half of 2021. The S&P 500 has risen 14.4% year to date, while the Nasdaq Composite and the Dow have each gained more than 12%. For the quarter, the S&P 500 climbed 8.2%. 
European stocks posted solid gains for the first half of 2021, but dipped slightly on the final trading day of the second quarter amid persistent concerns over the coronavirus pandemic and rising inflation. 

The pan-European Stoxx 600 provisionally closed down by 0.8% on Wednesday, with autos shares sinking 1.9% to lead the losses. The benchmark was still up over 13% year-to-date, however. 
Euro zone inflation cooled in June to 1.9% from 2.0% in May, in line with forecasts and the European Central Bank’s target of “close to but below 2%.” However, it is expected to spike above 2.5% again towards the end of the year, according to the ECB’s latest projections. 
Source: CNBC, Investing.com