U.S. STOCK MARKETS

Major benchmarks trimmed earlier sharp declines in the final hour of trading to finish modestly lower, as optimism for possible aid to debt-strapped European countries pared losses that followed another weak round of U.S. economic data and a Supreme Court health-care decision.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 24.75 points, or 0.2%, to close Thursday at 12602.26, snapping a two-session streak of gains for the blue-chip index.

The Standard & Poor's 500-stock index declined 2.81 points, or 0.2%, to 1329.04, while the Nasdaq Composite lost 25.83 points, or 0.9%, to 2849.49.

Stocks opened lower, then extended declines after the Supreme Court said Congress was acting within its powers under the Constitution when it required most Americans to carry health insurance or pay a penalty.

Thursday's losses faded late in the session. Reports of progress in European debt talks circulated early in the afternoon, but traders said they seemed to gain traction as the session came to a close.

European Union leaders convened for a summit in Brussels to discuss the possibility of integrating budgets and banking systems. Other market watchers pointed to a large purchase of contracts tied to the S&P 500 futures pushing up stocks, and to investors buying shares ahead of the quarter's end on Friday.

Technology stocks were Thursday's biggest declining sector in the S&P 500. J.P. Morgan Chase dropped 2.5% after the New York Times reported, citing unnamed sources, that the company's losses from credit derivatives may reach $9 billion, more than four times than what was initially estimated.

The court's ruling jostled stocks in the health-care sector. Managed-care providers slumped as the law keeps in place requirements for insurers to cover people regardless of health history.

Analysts say could it could pressure earnings. WellPoint, UnitedHealth Group, Aetna, Humana and Cigna all slumped. But the ruling was a boon for shares of hospital providers, which are positioned to reap the gains because the law promises coverage of those who might not otherwise seek care.

HCA Holdings, THC Healthcare and Community Health Systems all notched big gains. Medicaid-focused insurers also jumped, as the health-care law should extend the federal state partnership designed to provide health coverage for the poorest Americans to millions more people. Wellcare Health Plans, Molina Healthcare, Amerigroup and Centene all finished higher.

EUROPE BONDS, STOCK MARKETS

Banking shares dragged European stock markets lower Thursday amid growing concern over a probe into the alleged manipulation of benchmark interest rates and as investors fretted about the latest euro-debt crisis summit.

The Stoxx Europe 600 index dropped 0.5% to 244.67, after rallying 1.4% on Wednesday. Banks fell sharply after news reports said U.K. Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne confirmed that four more banks were being investigated in a probe into manipulation of Libor rates.

Among the banks being probed, UBS AG dropped 2.8%, HSBC Holdings PLC lost 2.6% and Royal Bank of Scotland Group PLC tumbled 12%. Barclays PLC was Wednesday fined $452 million over the matter, and its shares sank 16% Thursday on concerns of further litigations.

European stocks were also pressured amid skepticism that European leaders would agree on a road map to contain the euro zone's problems in meetings Thursday and Friday.

A focal point leading up the meeting was the prospect of introducing shared debt liabilities in the currency union--an idea German Chancellor Angela Merkel numerous times poured cold water on in the days leading up to the summit.

In Germany, the DAX 30 index underperformed most of Europe after the unemployment rate unexpectedly remained unchanged at 6.8% in June. The index tumbled 1.3% to 6,149.91, weighed down by banks. Deutsche Bank AG fell 4.5%, while Commerzbank AG slumped 7.2%, as the bank placed around 128.3 million newly issued shares with institutional investors to raise more capital.

The FTSE MIB index closed 0.7% higher at 13,391.30. The Italian bond market was in focus, with the government selling EUR5.4 billion in 5- and 10-year bonds, slightly below the top end of its targeted range.

In the secondary market, yields on 10-year Italian government bonds rose two basis points to 6.17%, according to electronic trading platform Tradeweb. Spanish stocks were also higher, the IBEX 35 index rising 0.8% to 6,721.70. Elsewhere, U.K.'s FTSE 100 index slumped 0.6% to 5,493.06 as bank shares tumbled. Banks also put pressure on France's CAC 40 index, which closed 0.4% lower at 3,051.68. BNP Paribas SA fell 2.5%, Societe Generale SA lost 2.1%, and Credit Agricole SA tripped 1.2%.

ASIA-PACIFIC STOCK MARKETS

Asian stocks ended mixed Thursday as a positive start to the session, brought about by encouraging economic data from the U.S., was moderated by persistent caution ahead of a European summit.

Although most markets opened higher, the upbeat sentiment soon died away as investors fixed their attention again on the summit of European leaders. South Korea's Kospi closed barely moved at 1819.18.

In China, Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index lost 0.8% to 19025.27 and the China Shanghai Composite was down 1% to 2195.84.

A recovery in oil prices early in the day proved a boon for oil stocks across the region: Inpex Corp rose 1.2% in Japan, and Cnooc was 1.9% higher in Hong Kong.

Felda Global Ventures opened up 18.2% on its trading debut in Kuala Lumpur, before moderating to a 16.5% gain. The state-owned plantation operator raised $3.1 billion in the second largest IPO so far this year, behind only Facebook's $16 billion listing.

Financial companies were among those posting losses in China. Industrial Securities was down 0.2%, Bank of Communications fell 1%, and ICBC dropped 0.5%. In Japan though, financial shares led the Topix higher, with Mizuho Financial Group adding 3.9% and Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group gaining 2.8%.

Among insurers, Dai-ichi Life rose 3.3%. Heavily-weighted auto makers led industrial shares higher. Toyota Motor and Honda Motor rose 2.6% and 2.1%, respectively.

COMMODITIES
Base metals closed mixed on the London Metal Exchange Thursday as investors cast a cautious eye toward the euro zone as a two-day European Union summit convened in Brussels.

At the close, LME three-month copper was 0.3% lower at $7,380 a metric ton. Zinc performed the best of the base metals Thursday, closing 2.1% higher at $1,793/ton.

At its intraday peak at $1,800/ton, the metal was up 2.5% on the day. U.S. oil futures tumbled sharply Thursday on renewed fears that this week's euro-zone summit would again fall short of resolving the crisis.

Nymex oil futures settled at $77.69 a barrel, down $2.52, or 3.1%. Brent prices were at $91.67 Thursday, down $1.83. A gloomy global-growth outlook and the view that policy makers in the U.S. and Europe aren't likely to implement new crisis-fighting steps soon battered prices of precious metals, sending platinum and palladium to 2012 lows and silver to a 19-month nadir.

The most actively traded gold contract, for August delivery, fell $28, or 1.8%, to settle at $1,550.40 a troy ounce on the Comex division of the New York Mercantile Exchange, the lowest ending price in four weeks. Silver for July delivery slumped 2.6% to settle at $26.247 an ounce. That is the lowest ending price since November 2010. Compiled from MORRISON SECURITIES PTY. LTD