U.S. markets are closed on Friday for the Independence Day holiday. Global stock markets moved higher on Friday, after U.S. equities closed mixed on Wall Street in New York’s final trading session of the week. Shares listed in Europe moved higher in afternoon trade following a mixed morning. The pan-European Stoxx 600 was up 0.43% at 2:00 p.m. in London (9:00 a.m. E.T.), hitting a new 52-week high, and putting the benchmark on course for its fourth consecutive weekly rise. Earlier in Asia, Japan’s benchmark Nikkei 225 led gains, closing up 1.47%, while the Topix was up 1.17%. South Korea’s Kospi advanced 5.76%, and the Kosdaq Index declined 1.68%. Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 added 1.37%. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index gained 1.28%, while the mainland’s CSI 300 was up 1.15%. Taiwan’s benchmark Taiex inched 0.2% higher. Oil prices were little changed Thursday after Qatar said the U.S. and Iran made “positive progress” during indirect talks. International benchmark Brent crude futures with September delivery added 23 cents to close at $71.80 per barrel. U.S. West Texas Intermediate futures with August delivery gained 11 cents to settle at $68.69. Mediators from Qatar and Pakistan concluded separate meetings with U.S. and Iranian negotiators in Doha on Wednesday, said a spokesperson for Qatar’s foreign ministry on social media. “Positive progress” was made on issues related to the memorandum of understanding, the spokesperson said. Spot gold prices rose by 1.4% on Friday morning, putting the precious metal on track for its first weekly gain in five weeks after coming under sustained pressure this year. By 4:30 a.m. ET, spot gold was trading at around $4,182.28 an ounce and on course for a 2.3% weekly gain—which would be its first weekly rise since late May. Front-month U.S. gold futures were up by 1.5% on an intraday basis.