NEW YORK, New York - World stock markets closed Friday with mixed results as U.S. equities advanced while European and Asian markets mostly retreated, reflecting continued caution over global growth prospects and rising geopolitical tensions.

In New York, Wall Street ended the week on a positive note. The S&P 500 climbed 34.94 points, or 0.53 percent, to finish at 6,664.01, buoyed by strength in large-cap technology and healthcare shares.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 238.37 points, or 0.52 percent, closing at 46,190.61, while the NASDAQ Composite added 117.44 points, or 0.52 percent, to settle at 22,679.97.

The broader NYSE Composite Index advanced 34.49 points, or 0.16 percent, to 21,411.46, but the NYSE American Composite Index declined 77.19 points, or 1.11 percent, to 6,889.91. The Russell 2000 Index, which tracks small-cap stocks, slipped 14.84 points, or 0.60 percent, to 2,452.17.

Volatility eased, with the CBOE Volatility Index (VIX) dropping sharply by 4.53 points, or 17.91 percent, to 20.78, reflecting calmer investor sentiment after a volatile week.

In Europe, major indices closed lower as traders digested weaker earnings updates and concerns about sluggish economic activity in the eurozone. The FTSE 100 fell 81.52 points, or 0.86 percent, to 9,354.57, while Germany's DAX lost 441.20 points, or 1.82 percent, to 23,830.99. France's CAC 40 slipped 14.39 points, or 0.18 percent, to 8,174.20, and the EURO STOXX 50 dropped 44.62 points, or 0.79 percent, to 5,607.39. The BEL 20 in Brussels fell 47.51 points, or 0.95 percent, to 4,963.34, while the FTSE 100-based BUK 100 Index also lost 8.10 points, or 0.86 percent, to 935.14.

Asian markets were mostly weaker, pressured by declines in Hong Kong and Tokyo. The Hang Seng Index tumbled 641.41 points, or 2.48 percent, to 25,247.10, while Japan's Nikkei 225 dropped 695.59 points, or 1.44 percent, to 47,582.15. The Shanghai Composite Index fell 76.47 points, or 1.95 percent, to 3,839.76, and Taiwan's TAIEX shed 345.50 points, or 1.25 percent, to 27,302.37.

In regional markets, South Korea's KOSPI was nearly flat, up 0.52 points, or 0.01 percent, to 3,748.89, while Australia's S&P/ASX 200 lost 73.10 points, or 0.81 percent, to 8,995.30. The All Ordinaries also weakened by 82.70 points, or 0.88 percent, to 9,293.20. The Singapore STI Index declined 27.27 points, or 0.63 percent, to 4,328.93, and Jakarta's IDX Composite plunged 209.10 points, or 2.57 percent, to 7,915.66.

In South Asia, India's S&P BSE Sensex gained 484.53 points, or 0.58 percent, to close at 83,952.19, while Malaysia's KLCI eased 5.11 points, or 0.32 percent, to 1,607.18. New Zealand's S&P/NZX 50 fell 99.89 points, or 0.75 percent, to 13,289.21.

Across the Americas, results were also mixed. Canada's S&P/TSX Composite declined 350.32 points, or 1.15 percent, to 30,108.48, while Brazil's Bovespa gained 1,198.61 points, or 0.84 percent, to 143,398.62. Mexico's IPC Index slipped 867.88 points, or 1.39 percent, to 61,676.68, but Chile's S&P IPSA edged up 17.83 points, or 0.20 percent, to 9,129.98. Argentina's MERVAL surged 60,050.50 points, or 3.11 percent, to 1,989,555.38, posting one of the strongest performances globally.

In currency and commodities-linked indices, the US Dollar Index inched up 0.11, or 0.12 percent, to 98.45. The Euro Currency Index slipped 0.23, or 0.20 percent, to 116.63, while the British Pound Currency Index dipped 0.05, or 0.04 percent, to 134.26. The Japanese Yen Currency Index eased 0.08, or 0.13 percent, to 66.40, and the Australian Dollar Currency Index gained 0.12, or 0.19 percent, to 64.97.

The MSCI Europe Index declined 24.69 points, or 0.97 percent, to 2,517.71, while South Africa's JN0U Index fell 184.94 points, or 2.81 percent, to 6,399.30.

Overall, investors closed the week with a cautiously optimistic tone on Wall Street but with broad weakness elsewhere as traders balanced solid U.S. earnings against ongoing concerns about global demand and monetary policy uncertainty.

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