European stock markets rise with German DAX hitting record high

German stocks hit a record high on Friday, July 2, as European markets closed the week on a positive note. The DAX 40 climbed 0.8% during the session, reaching an all-time intraday peak of 25,826.78. In London, the FTSE 100 gained 0.3%, finishing at 10,679.03, while Paris's CAC 40 rose 0.4%. Over the full week, both the FTSE 100 and the FTSE 250 posted gains of around 1.6% and 1.7% respectively. Investors were encouraged by growing expectations that interest rates will not rise further in the United States or Europe. US markets were shut for Independence Day. Among individual stocks, Close Brothers jumped 7.9% after an analyst changed their recommendation on the company to "buy".