US benchmark equity indexes ended higher Wednesday as the Nasdaq Composite reached a record high after Nvidia (NVDA) became the first publicly listed company to reach a $4 trillion market valuation.

* The Nasdaq climbed 0.9% to 20,590.2 after touching a record high of 20,645.41 earlier in the day. Nvidia (NVDA) shares were up about 1.7% during the session, ranking among the top performers on both the Dow and the Nasdaq. The rally pushed the chipmaker's market value past $4 trillion, marking the first time any company has reached that level.

* The market response appeared to downplay the latest developments on tariffs. On Wednesday, US President Trump issued letters outlining new tariff rates on imports from at least six additional countries, including the Philippines and Iraq. Earlier in the week, he had sent similar letters to the leaders of 14 nations, including South Korea and Japan.

* August West Texas Intermediate crude oil fell $0.07 to settle at $68.26 per barrel, while August Brent crude, the global benchmark, was last seen down $0.06 to $70.09.

* Rhythm Pharmaceuticals' (RYTM) shares were nearly 35% higher after the company said its bivamelagon experimental treatment achieved body mass index reductions in patients in its phase 2 acquired hypothalamic obesity trial.

* Fair Isaac (FICO) shares were down 6.4% after Jefferies, Barclays, and Wells Fargo lowered their price targets.