The U.S. Dollar Index is trading at 95.46  with a loss of  -0.02% percent or -0.02 point. The Dow Futures is trading at 26,857.00 up with +0.19% percent or  +50.00 point. The S&P 500 Futures is trading at 2,935.50  up  with +0.24% percent or +7.00 point.  The Nasdaq Futures is trading at 7,671.50 up  with  +0.24% percent or+18.25 point.

TODAY’S FACTORS AND EVENTS

The euro pulled ahead from a six-week low on Wednesday after a report that Italy plans to reduce its budget deficit in the coming years provided some relief to the battered currency.

The euro was up 0.35 percent at $1.1585 following its descent to $1.1505 overnight, its lowest since Aug. 21.

The single currency got some support after Italian newspaper Corriere della sera reported that Rome aims to gradually reduce its budget deficit to 2 percent of gross domestic product (GDP) in 2021.

The Italian government, in a tripling of its predecessor’s target, had last week set out a deficit goal of 2.4 percent of GDP for the next three years, unnerving markets and prompting criticism from European Commission officials.

PREVIOUS DAY ACTIVITY

For the day the Dow is trading at 26,773.94  up with +0.46% percent or +122.73 point. The S&P 500 is trading at 2,923.43 with a loss of  -0.040% percent or -1.16  point. The Nasdaq Composite is trading at 7,999.55  with a loss of -0.47% percent or -37.76 point.

WORLD MARKETS

In other parts of world, Japan’s Nikkei 225 is trading at 24,110.96  with  a loss of -0.66% percent or -159.66 point. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng is trading at 27,099.64  with  a loss of -0.099% percent or -26.74 point. China’s Shanghai Composite is trading at 2,821.35  up with +1.06% percent or  +29.58 point. India’s BSE Sensex is trading at 36,456.05  with a loss of – 0.19% percent or -70.09 point at 12:15 PM.