New York — A gauge of world stocks hit a record high on Monday while copper prices surged to their highest levels in more than four months after robust growth data in China. China’s economy expanded at a faster-than-expected 6.9% clip in the second quarter, setting the country on course to comfortably meet its 2017 growth target. Commodity prices were also buoyed as the dollar fell to a 10-month low before steadying. MSCI’s broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan hit a two-year high, as MSCI’s gauge of stocks across the globe gained 0.13% and set a record. Wall Street opened slightly higher as investors braced for a flood of second-quarter earnings reports later in the week. "The market from a big picture perspective is just waiting on earnings," said Walter Todd, chief investment officer at Greenwood Capital Associates in Greenwood, South Carolina. "Can companies continue to follow through with what was a very good earnings season in Q1? I think that’s what investors ar...
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