The U.S. Dollar Index is trading at 95.33 up with +0.19% percent or +0.17 point. The Dow Futures is trading at 23,729.00 with a loss of -0.42% percent or -101.00 point. The S&P 500 Futures is trading at 2,569.00 with a loss of -0.52% percent or -13.50 point. The Nasdaq Futures is trading at 6,565.25 with a loss of -0.60% percent or -39.50 point.
TODAY’S FACTORS AND EVENTS
The dollar on Thursday languished near a 3-month low on signs the Federal Reserve may soon pause its interest rate tightening cycle.
Minutes from the Fed’s Dec. 18-19 meeting showed that several policymakers were in favour of the U.S. central bank keeping rates steady this year.
That has weakened the dollar at a time when investors are selling safe-haven currencies due to mounting optimism about U.S.-China trade talks.
“This drop in the dollar is an overdue correction following a surprisingly robust few weeks despite the massive collapse in U.S. rate expectations,” said Ulrich Leuchtmann, a currency strategist at Commerzbank.
PREVIOUS DAY ACTIVITY
For the day the Dow is trading at 23,879.12 up with +0.39% percent or +91.67 point. The S&P 500 is trading at 2,584.96 up with +0.41% percent or +10.55 point. The Nasdaq Composite is trading at +6,957.08 up with +0.87% percent or +60.08 point.
WORLD MARKETS
Other leading market index closes included the small-cap Russell 2000 Index closed at 1,438.81 up with +0.86% percent or +12.25 point; the S&P 600 Small-Cap Index closed at 896.69 up with +1.04% percent or +9.19 point; the S&P 400 Mid-Cap Index closed at 1,747.43 up with +0.91% percent or +15.80 point; the S&P 100 Index closed at 1,146.66 up with +0.24% percent or +2.79 point; the Russell 3000 Index closed at 1,524.62 up with +0.49% percent or +7.48 point; the Russell 1000 Index closed at 1,430.32 up with +0.46% percent or +6.61 point