US and European stock markets hit new records on Friday, ending a strong week for global equities that has propelled benchmarks on both sides of the Atlantic to all-time highs. The S&P 500 edged up 0.2 per cent at lunchtime in New York, a day after the blue-chip index set another closing high. The tech-leaning Nasdaq Composite was flat while the Dow Jones Industrial Average rallied to a new peak.