The U.S. Dollar Index is trading at 95.24 up with +0.27% percent or +0.25 point. The Dow Futures is trading at 26,421.00  with a loss of  -0.20% percent or  -52.00 point. The S&P 500 Futures is trading at 2,915.00   with a loss of  -0.17% percent or -5.00 point.  The Nasdaq Futures is trading at 7,642.50  with  a loss of -0.19% percent or -14.75 point.

TODAY’S FACTORS AND EVENTS

The euro slipped below $1.16 on Friday for the first time in two weeks after Italy’s government agreed a budget seen by some investors as defying Brussels.

Political wrangling over the budget in heavily indebted Italy has put a lid on a recent revival in the euro’s fortunes against the dollar.

The single currency recorded its biggest one-day decline for nearly two months on Thursday as the battle over fiscal policy intensified in the euro zone’s third largest economy.

PREVIOUS DAY ACTIVITY

For the day the Dow is trading at 26,439.93  up with +0.21% percent or +54.65 point. The S&P 500 is trading at 2,914.00 up with +0.28% percent or +8.03 point. The Nasdaq Composite is trading at 8,041.97 up with +0.65% percent or +51.60 point.

WORLD MARKETS

Other leading market index closes included the small-cap Russell 2000 Index closed at 1,690.53   with a loss of  -0.064% percent or -1.08 point; the S&P 600 Small-Cap Index closed at 1,057.62  with a loss of -0.040% percent or  -0.42 point; the S&P 400 Mid-Cap Index closed at 2,012.69  up with +0.027% percent or +0.55 point; the S&P 100 Index closed at 1,295.32  up with  +0.41% percent or +5.24  point; the Russell 3000 Index closed at 1,725.83 up with +0.24% percent or +4.15 point; the Russell 1000 Index closed at 1,614.32 up with  +0.27% percent or +4.28 point;