Stoxx Europe 600 and Germany's DAX 30 hit intraday record highs, trading up 0.35% and 0.72% respectively.

China's Foreign Ministry said on July 3 it firmly opposes US and EU concerns about the Law on the Promotion of Ethnic Unity and Progress, which took effect July 1. Spokesperson Guo Jiakun accused those governments of ideological bias and politically motivated attacks that ignore China's socioeconomic and human-rights record, spread false information, and interfere in China's internal affairs, undermining ethnic unity. Beijing urged them to respect facts and stop what it called interference and smearing.

Five wildfires in Colorado have burned nearly 506 sq km as of the morning of July 2, state officials said. The largest, the Aspen X fire, ignited on the morning of June 29 in southern Colorado and had expanded to about 194 sq km by the evening of July 1. The Pueblo County sheriff's office said Aspen X has destroyed more than 180 structures and injured one firefighter.