The U.S. Dollar Index is trading at 93.960 up with +0.120% percent or +0.110 point. The Dow Futures is trading at 24,722.00 with a loss of -0.82% percent or -205.00 point. The S&P 500 Futures is trading at 2,777.50 with a loss of -0.69% percent or -19.25 point. The Nasdaq Futures is trading at 7,238.00 with a loss of -0.87% percent or -63.50 point.
TODAY’S FACTORS AND EVENTS
The Chinese yuan skidded towards an 11-month low and the Australian dollar fell on Wednesday after the Trump administration threatened 10 percent tariffs on $200 billion worth of Chinese imports in an escalating trade conflict.
The most traded currencies, the U.S. dollar and euro, were largely unmoved though the single currency was the weaker while the safe-haven Japanese yen remained flat, reflecting limited reaction in broader currency markets.
Traders instead focused their attention on where a ratcheting of Sino-U.S. trade tensions will likely hit fastest – in China and in Asia where countries like Australia depend on Chinese demand for their exports.
PREVIOUS DAY ACTIVITY
For the day the Dow is trading at 24,919.66 up with +0.58% percent or +143.07 point. The S&P 500 is trading at 2,793.84 up with +0.35% percent or +9.67 point. The Nasdaq Composite is trading at 7,759.20 up with +0.039% percent or +3.00 point.
Other leading market index closes included the small-cap Russell 2000 Index closed at 1,695.62 with a loss of -0.53% percent or -8.99 point; the S&P 600 Small-Cap Index closed at 1,052.39 with a loss of -0.47% percent or -4.93 point; the S&P 400 Mid-Cap Index closed at 2,008.12 with a loss of -0.051% percent or -1.03 point; the S&P 100 Index closed at 1,229.89 up with +0.41% percent or +5.01 point; the Russell 3000 Index closed at 1,664.53 up with +0.25% percent or +4.10 point; the Russell 1000 Index closed at 1,551.94 up with +0.31% percent or +4.84 point;