The U.S. Dollar Index is trading at 96.89  with  a loss of -0.25% percent or -0.24  point. The Dow Futures is trading at 23,819.00 up with +0.89% percent or +210.00 point. The S&P 500 Futures is trading at 2,560.00 up with +0.87% percent or +22.00 point.  The Nasdaq Futures is trading at 6,542.25  up with +0.87% percent or +56.25 point.

TODAY’S FACTORS AND EVENTS

The safe-haven yen and the Swiss franc held a firm tone as an overnight plunge in oil prices provided another stark reminder of the dimming prospects for the global economy, and underscored why traders expect the Fed will likely be done after an expected rate hike this week.

“The positioning going into the FOMC meeting is very defensive and that’s why we are seeing the dollar weakening,” said Michael McCarthy, chief markets strategist at CMC Markets.

PREVIOUS DAY ACTIVITY

For the day the Dow is trading at 23,675.64 up with +0.35% percent or +82.66 point. The S&P 500 is trading at 2,546.16  up with +0.0086% percent or +0.22 point. The Nasdaq Composite is trading at 6,783.91  up with +0.45% percent or +30.18 point.

WORLD MARKETS

Other leading market index closes included the small-cap Russell 2000 Index closed at 1,377.18  with a loss of -0.07% percent or -0.97 point; the S&P 600 Small-Cap Index closed at 858.86 up with +0.15% percent or +1.28 point; the S&P 400 Mid-Cap Index closed at 1,694.77 up with +0.027%percent or +0.46 point; the S&P 100 Index closed at 1,132.03  up with +0.12% percent or +1.40 point; the Russell 3000 Index closed at 1,495.72  up with +0.0073% percent or +0.11 point; the Russell 1000 Index closed at 1,405.90 up with +0.013% percent or +0.19 point;