US equity markets closed out a strong week on a positive footing, with the Nasdaq hitting a fresh record high as investors eye inflation figures and key geopolitical negotiations later in the week - Dow rose +207-points or +0.47% to 44,175.61, settling less than <2% away from its first new high since December. Apple Inc (up +4.24%) extended its rally into a third consecutive session following the iPhone maker's commitment to invest an additional US$100B in U.S. manufacturing and was the leading performer in the 30stock index.
