US equity markets advanced as the latest weekly jobless claims figures fuelled fresh optimism around Federal Reserve interest rate cuts - Dow rallied +331-points or +0.85% to 39,387.76 to book its seventh consecutive session advance and highest close since 1 April. The 30-stock index also settled within 1.1% of its 28 March record closing high (39,807.37). Home Depot Inc (up +2.54%) and Caterpillar Inc (+2.11%) climbed over >2% to be the leading index components overnight.