The U.S. Dollar Index is trading at 97.40  up with +0.40% percent or +0.38 point. The Dow Futures is trading at 26,567.00 up with +0.01% percent or +0.00 point. The S&P 500 Futures is trading at 2,910.50  up with +0.00% percent or +0.00 point.  The Nasdaq Futures is trading at 7,715.50  up with +0.33%  percent or +25.75 point.

TODAY’S FACTORS AND EVENTS

The dollar steadied against a basket of currencies on Friday after hitting a 2.5-week high overnight as data pointed to a sturdy U.S. economy, while the euro was dented by weak manufacturing activity in Europe.

Many financial markets were closed for the Good Friday Easter holiday.

Currency markets remain open but volume is expected to be light.

The dollar index, which measures the greenback against a basket of six other major currencies, rose to as high as 97.485 overnight, its highest level since April 2. It last traded at 97.392 on Friday, down 0.1% on the day.

PREVIOUS DAY ACTIVITY

For the day the Dow is trading at 26,559.54  up with +0.40% percent or +106.88 point. The S&P 500 is trading at 2,905.03 up with +0.16% percent or +4.58 point. The Nasdaq Composite is trading at 7,998.06  up with +0.025% percent or +1.98 point.

WORLD MARKETS

Other leading market index closes included the small-cap Russell 2000 Index closed at 1,565.75  with a loss of -0.12% percent or -1.85 point; the S&P 600 Small-Cap Index closed at 962.66  with a loss of -0.20% percent or -1.89 point; the S&P 400 Mid-Cap Index closed at 1,953.43 up with +0.25% percent or +4.84 point; the S&P 100 Index closed at 1,287.40  up with +0.099% percent or +1.27 point; the Russell 3000 Index closed at 1,710.97 up  with +0.13% percent or +2.25 point; the Russell 1000 Index closed at 1,608.93  up with +0.15% or +2.41 point.